


Starting Over, Again

by Mollygail



Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen, I'm Bad At Titles, Road Trip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-09-17 05:44:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16968765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mollygail/pseuds/Mollygail
Summary: Neal is framed for a crime he didn't commit and he decides it's time to run. Set in an alternate universe where El was not kidnapped by Keller and Mozzie didn’t try to run with the u-boat treasure. Neal persuaded Mozzie to anonymously return all of the art and jewelry that were stolen by the Nazis. Mozzie did, however, retain possession of some untraceable gold bars and coins. Cuz, ya know, he’s Mozzie.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started this story last year and it's ninety percent complete. Like the rest of my stories, this one isn't exactly heavy with a plot.

Neal sat in the parked car and rested his head against the steering wheel. How had this happened? He had been trying so hard to stay out of trouble. Lifting his head and looking at his surroundings he thought back over the last few days of his life in New York.

It was early November and the weather had turned colder. Peter had looked at him strangely Wednesday morning when he had arrived to give Neal a ride to work. He must have already known about the crime and suspected Neal but he hadn't said anything. The ride to work had been mostly quiet with occasional questions from Peter. “How’ve you been? How’s Mozzie? What did you do Monday evening?” Neal remembered the weird tension in the air and how it had put him on alert. When they arrived at the Federal Building he had excused himself and gone to the restroom to text Mozzie from his burner phone. ‘Feeling feverish. Might be needing cold medicine.’ He knew Moz would understand the coded message and be on stand-by. If no further message was sent in half an hour Mozzie would initiate escape-plan-A.

As he had entered the office all eyes were on him and he knew things were going to go bad fast. It started with more of the casual questioning that he'd experienced in the car earlier. As it went on it became more direct. Valuable items had been stolen from the evidence locker; his tracking data had been erased; did he have an explanation? He had laughed at that. Yes, he had an explanation; he was being framed, again. Thankfully, this time, Peter didn’t arrest him immediately. Jones escorted him home and placed him on house arrest. It was “for his own protection” according to Peter. Maybe he should have trusted Peter to investigate and prove his innocence but that wasn’t the way Peter usually responded. Whenever a situation like this came up it was always Peter’s instinct to believe Neal was guilty. By the time Jones had left his apartment and reset Neal’s radius to basically zero Mozzie had everything organized.

Thursday morning rush hour traffic was a disaster. Mozzie had set up roadblocks to divert heavy traffic past June’s house to slow down the marshals and other law enforcement. He had also taken out the street cameras in the immediate area. Neal cut his anklet just before exiting June’s house and rode a motorcycle to the rendezvous point. They’d spent that day prepping for the escape out of the city. Mozzie provided a change of clothes, glasses, colored contact lenses, and a wig. He had rolled his eyes at the wig. “Seriously, Moz, why can’t I just cut and dye my hair?”.

“That’s what they’ll expect. That’s the most obvious. This way you use the wig until your own hair grows out. They know you, now better than ever. You've always been a clean-cut, suit loving guy. Now you're going to be a long-haired, jean wearing guy. Not unkempt, but more eccentric and loner-ish. Your new alias is an introvert, slightly moody and very quiet. But not creepy. Creepy would attract attention.” 

“Ok, that’s not confusing at all. Look, Moz, I’ve never had a problem creating my own aliases. Just let me do what I do, please.”

“Seriously, Neal? All of your aliases are just versions of Caffrey. Halden, Donnelly, DeVore, Tabernacle….…They're all suit loving, sophisticated guys. And that’s what the Feds will be looking for. We’ve been over this before. In the past when the authorities got close what have you done? Crossed a border, hopped a plane, jumped on a boat or train. Fled to a non-extradition country? Sound familiar? This time is a whole new ball game. You’ll be chased by your ‘friends’, who know you pretty well after all this time of working with you. You have to go for the nuclear option. Destroy all past aliases and fashion preferences. It’s time to dust off the DeLorean and travel back in time. You've got your real birth certificate and a good supply of cash in your go-bag. You have accounts set up in your real name. No one, not even the marshals, has ever connected Neal Caffery to David-Neal Bennet. And Peter has no idea about that either. Wait…. Does he? Did you tell him about WITSEC?”

“No, of course not. Well, I almost did once but, no, I didn’t. He has no idea about why he can’t find out about my childhood.”

“All right then. Before you went to prison you did a good job of maintaining a paper trail for your real identity. You built a good backstory. You’re a reclusive artist living a nomadic lifestyle. You own that little house in Montana that no one knows about. That was a brilliant move, by the way. Buying that property when you were still basically a kid and arranging for that property management company to maintain it in your absence. You even renewed your driver’s license a few months before your arrest. It’s still valid since ‘technically’ you are still a resident of that state. And there’s something I never told you. While you were in prison I used your real social security number to give you a bit of employment history. ‘You’ worked as a house painter in Fargo and as a printing press operator in Minnesota. I’ve written down all the specifics so you can use them for references. No one will check on your physical description. If they check your references at all it will just be dates of employment and if ‘you’ were dependable. Which ‘you’ were, by the way. ‘You’ even paid taxes. I’ll liquidate the last of your assets and wire funds to the offshore account. You’ll be okay. You’ll be safe.” Neal’s eyes had filled with tears as he’d thought about what he had to do. He was about to leave New York, Mozzie, June, and Peter to go off to the middle of nowhere and create a new life when all he wanted was the life he had here. 

He had hugged Mozzie, though, of course, Mozzie was uncomfortable with physical contact. “Mozzie, you are the most amazing friend. I don’t deserve you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Not just this, but all the stuff you’ve done over the years.” Moz had backed away and nodded, then after cleaning his glasses, continued to lay out the other details of the escape plan.

Neal shook his head and came back to the present. There was no use dwelling on what he’d left behind. He was sure he could never go back. He had mailed a letter to Peter before he left the city proclaiming his innocence but he didn’t expect Peter to believe him. And looking out the car window at the falling snow he knew he had more immediate problems to take care of. He started the car and turned back toward the town he had just passed through. There had been a rundown motel next to a restaurant that probably specialized in food poisoning. He’d have to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. Yum. He sighed. 

*********************************************

“Why did he run if he’s innocent?” Peter held up the letter for El to see and shook it in frustration. “He says he didn’t steal anything and he’s being framed, but if that’s true he should have stayed to help investigate.”

“Peter, please stop pacing and sit down.” As he sat next to her on the couch El reached out and rubbed a comforting hand down his arm. “You know why he ran. You two have been at odds since the u-boat fiasco. You believed Vincent Adler, of all people, when he accused Neal. And, as it says in the letter, you arrested him when Fowler framed him for the diamond theft. I guess he just thought he couldn’t take the risk of staying. But if he is innocent surely you can find out the real culprit and clear Neal. Then you can find him and bring him home.”

“I don’t know, El. Maybe I can clear his name but that doesn’t change the fact that he ran. He’s a fugitive. If I find him they’ll want to lock him up for running. Cutting the anklet was the same as breaking out of prison. I don’t know if he can come back from that. And I don’t know how much they’ll let me be involved in looking for him. He was my responsibility. By putting him on house arrest while we investigated I gave him the opportunity to run. The way the Bureau sees it I should have arrested him.”

“Maybe they won’t let you look for him officially, but you can work to clear his name. If you get evidence that he was framed then maybe they’ll understand why he ran.”

“You’re right, as usual. I’ll call Diana and we’ll figure this out.”

El sighed and slowly shook her head. “You know,” she said quietly, “the saddest thing about this is if it hadn’t been for that corrupt FBI agent, Fowler, Neal would have finished his sentence and he would be free now. And that shifty agent Rice nearly got him killed. He was sent back to prison when Fowler framed him for the diamond heist. With all of the corrupt feds he’s had to deal with is it any wonder he ran? The amazing thing is that he still trusts you.”

“If he trusted me he wouldn’t be running.” He shook his head and sighed. “Maybe I should have told him I believed in his innocence about this. But I needed to be objective. At least, I needed to appear objective or it could have alerted the higher-ups who already think I’m too easy on him. I don’t know. I’m scared for him, El. He could be caught and spend the rest of his life in prison. Or he could spend the rest of his life on the run, never having a place to settle down and build a life for himself. He’ll always be looking over his shoulder and there’ll be no chance of him earning an honest living. Employers do background checks. He’ll be forced to commit crimes to survive. We’ve got to clear his name. Failure is not an option.”


	2. Chapter 2

As he laid on the bed in his crappy motel room eating his PB&J he thought about how much he owed Ellen. Not only had she watched over him when he was a kid but she had given him all of those mystery and spy novels to read. They used to discuss the books and she would ask him what he would do if he were ever in a situation where he was being chased by bad guys. He laughed at the memory. He knew now that she was teaching him how to survive but he was sure she never thought when he was little that one day he’d be running from the ‘good guys’. 

Neal had to admit that Mozzie was a genius when it came to running from ‘the man’. Of course, Mozzie really was a genius, so naturally, he had thought of everything. The escape from the city had been done during evening rush hour. After leaving the safe house Neal had traveled through some underground tunnels that connected to the subway. Everyone knew that Neal hated the subway so it was the logical choice. After exiting the subway he had made his way to another safe house and then driven away in an average looking car with a full tank of gas and a trunk filled with food, clothes and camping equipment. The feds would have been expecting him to head for an airport or the Canadian border so he drove west on country roads avoiding large cities. 

As he had been getting his duffel bag out of the trunk he had discovered even more reasons to be grateful to Mozzie. The treasure trove of supplies that Mozzie had packed for him was amazing. There was a box of books that gave quite an insight into the workings of his little friend’s mind. There were tourist guidebooks about camping and backpacking in Montana that looked interesting, but this was hardly the time of year for a city boy to take up backpacking. There was a book about survival tactics which covered everything from urban combat to hunting wildlife as well as several books of classic literature that Mozzie had been wanting him to read. There was even a bible. The books ranged from very useful, to educational, to intellectually enriching. Another box held a large supply of emergency food packets, a camp stove and cooking utensils. But the things he most appreciated were the sketchbook, high-quality colored pencils, and a very expensive digital camera outfit.

Mozzie had never shown any interest in the surroundings of Neal’s home in Montana; he just assumed it was in the mountains or in the middle of nowhere. Actually, it was on a quiet street on the edge of a nice little town near the interstate in eastern Montana. There was a small grocery store, gas station, mom and pop restaurant, a tiny library and a few churches. He was sure Mozzie wouldn’t approve of the idea of living in a small town where people were likely to notice a stranger. It would be easier to blend into the crowd of a large city, but most large cities had security cameras and facial recognition software. And Peter would be more likely to search for him in large cities. Anyway, Neal had made his choice when he bought the little house all those years ago. 

Mozzie had said they could meet up after things settled down, but Neal wasn’t sure that was a good idea. Mozzie would never accept that Neal wanted to be done with the criminal life. Once a con always a con, Mozzie always said. And there was some truth in that. The only way Neal could go straight would be to cut all ties to that life. As much as he loved Mozzie, and would always be grateful to him, he knew that the relationship would eventually lead back to prison. Neal had a lot of doubts about what the future would hold but there was one thing he was sure of; the wig had to go. It would be dumped in the trash somewhere tomorrow. 

It had been a really long day and he definitely needed to sleep but his thoughts were racing through everything that had happened in the last few days. Sighing, he gave up on thoughts of sleep and propped up the pillows against the headboard. He didn’t feel like going out to the car for reading material so he grabbed the Gideon Bible from the nightstand and started to read. After a half an hour he could no longer keep his eyes open and he rolled over and slept until daylight. 

*****************************  
After a greasy fast-food breakfast and a nasty cup of coffee, he was on his way early the next morning heading toward St Louis. Before leaving home at eighteen he’d had a part-time job at a used car lot washing and detailing cars. A quick phone call had given him the information he had been hoping for. His old boss, Joe, still owned the business and he still remembered ‘Danny’. Joe had a side business of selling fake IDs and ‘Danny’ had learned a lot from him. He was sure he could trade his car in and get a new ID to use as a contingency plan. 

Now, traveling through Ohio, he noticed a chain of restaurants called Skyline Chili. Surely, he thought, with so many of them they must have good food. And who would look for Neal Caffrey at a chili restaurant? 

A light rain was falling as he walked from the car and entered the restaurant. The waitress called out to him; “just sit where ever you like. I’ll be right with you.”

He took a seat in a booth by the window and looked over the menu while he waited. This was definitely not the fine dining he was used to. He normally liked to eat healthy food, but since the situation he was in was far from normal maybe it was time for another change. 

“Hi, what can I get you to drink,” the waitress asked as she placed a small bowl of oyster crackers in front of him. 

“I’ll have a diet coke, please. I’m from out of town and I’m not familiar with Skyline Chili. What do you recommend?”

“Well, if you want the full Cincinnati chili experience you should try a 5-way. That’s spaghetti, topped with chili, onions, beans, and cheese.”

Neal smiled at her and replied, “That sounds….interesting. I’ll try it.”

As he ate he was surprised that he really like the chili. The thought occurred to him that Neal would never have stopped to eat here. And then he had another realization. He had only been gone from New York a short time but he was already thinking of Neal Caffrey as a person from his past. What did that say about him? Yes, Caffrey was an alias; but it was the name he had used and identified with for more than 10 years. How could he so easily slip out of that identity? He paid his bill and left the restaurant still deep in thought. More that one person in his life had told him he was a people pleaser. He had molded his life to either please, impress, or manipulate others. If he was going to be on his own in the middle of nowhere and start a new life he needed to figure out who and what he wanted to be. 

He’d driven through some rain and snow flurries, but it had cleared up and the temperature was now warm for this time of year. It was a good time to put the camping equipment to use. He hadn’t camped since he was a boy scout but he had enjoyed it back then. Peter never had believed him when he used the phrase “scout’s honor” but, yes, he really had been a scout. Anyway, with the luxury equipment he had, it wouldn’t really be roughing it. The backpacking tent he had was advertised to sleep two people which he found impossible to believe, but it was plenty big enough for a man his size. He knew the sleeping mat was decent, and the down sleeping bag and pillow should be comfy enough. Add in one of the bottles of fine wine Mozzie had packed and he’d sleep like a baby. 

***************************  
When morning came he sat at the picnic table and studied the map while he enjoyed his coffee in the frigid, fresh air. He planned to go to St. Louis before going to Montana, but there was no hurry. It wouldn’t be much of a detour to go through northern Kentucky on his way to Missouri. Some of the tourist brochures he’d picked up had highlighted a place called the Ark Encounter in Williamstown. He’d just read the account of Noah’s ark in the Bible and it might be interesting to see a representation of what people thought it might have looked like if it had been real. He still had his doubts but, as usual, he was open-minded and inquisitive. After all, there were many intelligent people, astronauts, and scientists, who believed in the biblical account of Noah’s ark. 

It wasn’t many hours later that he pulled into the large, mostly empty, parking lot of the Ark Encounter. The lack of large numbers of people wasn’t surprising considering the time of year. It was definitely long past tourist season. A fact that he was happy about. While there was safety in crowds he really wasn’t worried about anyone looking for him here and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with a bunch of tourists. He purchased his ticket and boarded the bus that took him up a hill to the ark. 

He had expected it to be big but was still surprised by the enormous size of the ark. He took his time moving through the many exhibits. There were instructive film clips accompanying the exhibits which explained how the animals would have been caged, watered and fed. After spending several hours exploring the ark he still wasn’t convinced, but he could understand why some people believed the biblical account. He respected everyone’s right to their own beliefs. 

Back on the road the days and miles passed by and Neal became a little more relaxed, although he was still always attentive to his surroundings and the presence of security cameras. He had traveled from New York through Pennsylvania and Ohio and into Kentucky on back roads; driving through small towns and staying in campgrounds and run down motels. After camping in Kentucky he had gotten on the interstate for his trip to St. Louis. He had lightened and cut his hair and wore a nondescript ball cap. His tan Carhart coat, dark flannel shirts, and blue jeans blended in well with the people he encountered in middle America farming communities. Mozzie had been right about the trip back in time. Though he still hadn’t used his real ID he was almost feeling like a kid again.

*****

His visit to St. Louis had been good. He’d visited some of his old hangouts and even talked to some of his former neighbors, casually asking if anyone had heard anything from his mom. One lady said she had heard that his mom moved to Denver shortly after he’d left. He knew the marshals would change her name and move her after he left but he had still hoped that someone would know something. He sighed and focused on his next move. Now that he had traded his car in for a used pickup truck it was time to move on. 

As he traveled through Nebraska heading towards Wyoming he knew he was about to reach a crossroad and he’d have to make a decision. Once he reached Cheyenne he’d have to decide whether to travel north to Montana and a future as David-Neal Bennet or to travel south to Denver and …….…and what? Use his new alias, Evan James, and try to find his mom? Or just become a drifter? Find a job? No, Montana made the most sense. He’d use his real name and live like a free man. He was going to stop living like he was being chased and if the law caught up to him then at least he would have lived his last days of freedom as a man and not an animal running from hunters. 

It had been two weeks since he left New York and Thanksgiving was only eight days away. He made an effort to focus on the many things he was thankful for and didn’t dwell on all that he had left behind. 

 

***********************************

In the two weeks since Neal had run Peter, Diana and Jones had accomplished their goal. They had ferreted out the low-life scumbag who had framed Neal for theft. It turned out to be a new agent who hated the fact that Neal had earned the respect of Peter and most of the other agents of the White Collar division. Peter had enjoyed arresting him and clearing Neal’s name but Neal’s future was still uncertain. It was time to talk to June and Mozzie about possible ways to bring Neal home without having him end up back in prison. 

When Peter called June to ask for a meeting with her and Mozzie, June had called her lawyer. It had taken a bit of effort to convince Neal’s friends that Peter had faith in Neal and he wanted to bring him home. Knowing that Neal would still face charges for running, the lawyer proposed a bold move. Taking into account all that Neal had been through with corrupt feds and all he had done to help the FBI, the lawyer wanted to try to get Neal’s sentence commuted and was prepared to start the process immediately. 

Alice Weston was a high priced criminal attorney who had an unmatched success rate in dealing with unusual situations like this. While taking out a handful of paperwork from her briefcase she stated one hard fact. “The odds of getting Mr. Caffrey’s sentence commuted would be much better if he turned himself in. I’m sorry to say that as long as he’s a fugitive there is only a small chance of being successful in our endeavor, though, of course, I will try. Is there any chance he can be persuaded to turn himself in?” She finished laying the papers out on the table and looked up expectantly at Neal’s friends. 

Peter spoke first. “Mozzie, we have to talk to him and get him to turn himself in. Where is he Moz? How do we get in touch with him?”

“Seriously, Suit? Do you really think I would tell you if I knew? Which I don’t. There’s no way I’ll even think about helping you find him until I have proof that he won’t be going back to prison. Even then, I’m not sure he’s not better off away from Big Brother and his minions.”

“Mozzie, we care about Neal too. How about we let the lawyer do her job and you talk to Neal and let him know we’re trying to free him?”

“Uh, if you haven’t noticed, he is free. Somewhere.” Mozzie looked at Peter with an unreadable expression. 

“Mozzie. Are you kidding me? I don’t really expect you to trust me with his location yet, but at least admit you know how to contact him.”

“Suit, it’s possible that Neal isn’t following the established protocols. I haven’t heard from him since he left. He was supposed to check in at specifically scheduled times. He has his phone off and I have no idea if he is even on his way to his planned destination. As soon as I hear from him I’ll tell him about this and lay out the options. But if he turns himself in he’ll be put back in prison. Even if it's only for a short time he may not be willing to do that.”

“Ok, fine.” Peter sighed. “Do what you can if you speak to him. I’ll work on trying to arrange his anklet deal to be in place if he does turn himself in. If I can get the higher-ups to sign off on that do you think he’ll cooperate?”

Mozzie looked at Peter for a long moment before replying. “It’s a possibility. I’ll discuss it with him.”

June decided it was time to speak up. “Peter, Mozzie, listen to me. Neal and I have talked a lot about what he wanted to do after he finished his sentence. He had told me that he absolutely never wants to go back to prison. Having been an informant for the FBI he knows that the next time he goes to prison he’ll be killed for being a snitch. That’s why he ran this time. He couldn’t take the chance of being sent back. And he feels that there will always be people in the FBI who will see him as an easy target and scapegoat. If he comes back to New York you both need to accept the fact that things will have to be different. Peter, he likes and respects you very much but he won’t want to work at the bureau with you after his sentence is over. And Mozzie, you are his oldest and dearest friend and he doesn’t want to disappoint you, but more than that he doesn’t want to do anything to go back to prison. So, there will be no talk from you about ‘one last score’ or ‘once a con always a con’. You will support his effort to start over. He wants to be an artist. An artist” she repeated, “Not a con artist. Do both of you understand that? You will need to let him live his own life and quit trying to make him into who you want him to be.” June sat back and looked from one to the other. She really could be quite a formidable woman.

Peter spoke first. “I understand that. If he wants to be an artist I will support that one hundred percent. Nothing could make me happier than for him to do what makes him happy. As long as its legal.”

“Fine, I’ll help him all I can. After all, I do handle the finances for his bakery you know. Everything associated with the bakery is honest and above board. It’s an upstanding, tax-paying endeavor.” Mozzie gave Peter an inscrutable look. 

“Yes,” Peter said, “everything about the bakery is honest and above board except the money that was used to purchase it.”

“You can’t prove that, Suit!”

“Gentleman, please! Shall we have a drink? I believe we all are on the same side here. No more bickering.” And with that Peter and Mozzie agreed to work together for Neal’s freedom and future.


	3. Chapter 3

The weather was cold and windy. The sun shone through occasional breaks in the dark clouds that drifted over the rolling, barren landscape. He longed to paint the scene, but even if he had the supplies and time it was too cold and windy. He took dozens of photos with his new camera and promised himself he would paint the scene when he got to his new home. He was doing a bit of sightseeing in Wyoming after picking up some brochures featuring Wagon Ruts National Historic Site. It was amazing that after all this time there was still evidence of the thousands of people who had traveled the Oregon Trail. He walked along a path beside the trail where covered wagons had left the deep ruts in the sandstone. He thought about the thousands of people who had left everything they had known to seek a new start in a strange new land. Back then there would have been little chance of ever again seeing the loved ones that had been left behind. He wondered if any had been criminals wanting a second chance to make something of their lives. The wind started blowing harder and brought his thoughts back to the present. He felt snow flurries against his face and decided it was time to get back on the road.

It was still early in the day and he hoped to make it to South Dakota before dark. The weather was predicted to be cold that night, with a chance of snow. Why he was having an urge to camp he couldn’t say. All he knew was that’s what he wanted to do. A little research on the internet revealed a campground in Custer State Park that had camping cabins and was open year round. It would be warmer than sleeping in his tent and yet still satisfy his camping urge. He had his sleeping bag and pillow so he was set in that department. The cabin had a heater and he could either cook his dinner on his camp stove or just have PB&J again. He wondered what Mozzie would say about his new interest in camping. According to the weather forecast on the radio heavy snow accumulations were expected by the weekend. This was probably his last chance for camping. It was time to head ‘home’ to Montana.

It was late afternoon when he pulled into the campground and checked in. He found the cabin he had reserved and was pleased to see that the other cabins looked empty. He wasn’t in the mood for socializing. He smiled when he saw that the previous campers had left a supply of firewood. After unloading his supplies from his truck he sat down on a good sized log in front of the fire pit and built a fire. He heated some water on the camp stove and prepared one of the freeze-dried meals then sat in front of the fire to eat. The thought occurred to him that he’d have to start eating healthy again when he settled down. His clothes were getting tight and he felt like he must have gained about ten pounds. Although, maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. He could just call it part of his disguise he thought as he opened a candy bar for dessert. 

As he stared into the fire he thought about all of the friends he had to say goodbye to. Neal, George, Nick, Steve, Marcus……..he’d had a lot of friends. Peter had called them aliases, but to Neal, they were friends he could count on to get him out of trouble. He had stashed a few of his fake IDs in his duffel bag without Mozzie seeing, but now it was time to get rid of them. One by one he dropped them into the fire. After burning the IDs of his oldest friends he dropped the newest into the fire. That only left David Bennett. The truck was registered to David. The house in Montana was owned by David. But who was David really? He realized he didn’t know who he was supposed to be. When creating an alias he came up with backstories that included families and job histories to make them more alive than he felt David was. But if he was going to start a new life it shouldn’t be based on lies. 

David……Dave? No, it had to be David. Or maybe he’d go with ‘David-Neal’. Like the southerners would say Jim-bob or Bobby-joe. David-Neal liked art, traveling, and occasional camping trips. He liked a wide variety of music and played the piano. David-Neal’s dad left him when he was two and he was raised by his mom and Aunt Ellen. How would he explain that though he had been ‘traveling’ for the last 6 years without a steady job he had no money problems? That was fairly easy. The truth was that when he’d turned 21 he had gone to Vegas and won a few poker tournaments. He had then traveled to Montana and bought a small house and opened a bank account. Mozzie had helped him invest some of the winnings and, as a result, he had a legitimate source of money. It wasn’t a fortune, but he could get by. Sometimes he wished he’d been content to settle down then, but he’d been young and looking for excitement. What he’d told Peter was true; the rush of the con was an addiction and he had needed to hit bottom before he could stop. His thoughts continued to ramble. David was a high school dropout. He could remedy that the easy way or the hard way. Easy would be a forged diploma; but, he was trying to do the honesty thing. So…..night school. He could do that. They’d want transcripts from his old school but he’d already had Mozzie’s friend, Sally, take care of that problem. A few months back she had hacked into the school’s computer system and changed the records from Danny Brooks to David Bennet. 

The more he thought about the future the more hopeful he became. He’d started stealing when he was 6 years old out of necessity and it had grown first into a habit and then an addiction. This was a chance to quit cold-turkey. His confidence was returning. He could do this. Peter could never know, but he felt good knowing that if Peter did know he would be proud of him. 

His thoughts had been drifting but the hiss of snowflakes falling into the fire brought his attention back to the present. Time to turn in for the night. Tomorrow he’d be home. 

****************************************

David-Neal awoke Saturday morning to a light dusting of snow and the temperature in the high 20s. He also woke up with a sinus headache and post nasal drip. Definitely, time to get home. He’d called a week ago to let the property manager know when he would arrive so that everything would be clean and winter-ready. It would be necessary to buy some more clothes and stock up on groceries. A trip into Billings before heading home would be a bit out of the way, but he was sure he could find everything he needed there. It’d be better to go out of his way and get what he needed than to do without. 

His first stop in Billings was at Cabela’s to pick up some more clothes in a bigger size. He was amazed to find fleece-lined blue jeans. He bought five pairs of jeans and some sweatshirts and flannel shirts. Next, he went to the mall. With a possible cold coming on the flannel pajamas looked very inviting; he bought two pairs. A thick robe, slippers, and a heavy winter coat finished out his clothing shopping spree. 

A trip to the grocery store was his next stop. He made sure to stock up on staples and then bought several cans of chicken noodle soup. He bought enough groceries to last about two weeks in addition to a few special items for his Thanksgiving dinner. While in the cold remedy section he found tissue with lotion in them and also picked up lozenges and cold medicine just in case he really was getting sick. 

***********************************************

Peter and Elizabeth decided to stay home for the holiday this year. Normally they would have left for her parent’s on Saturday morning and spent the week with them. They had planned on doing that again this year but El’s mom had called to say they were going to Florida to visit El’s aunt. This had prompted El to start planning a dinner for the two of them at home. Dinner at home meant shopping and Peter was looking for an excuse to get out of a trip to the grocery store on what he was sure would be one of the busiest grocery days of the year. So, when he answered the doorbell and found Mozzie on his doorstep he was actually relieved.

“Suit, we need to talk.”

“Come on in, Mozzie. Have you heard from Neal?” 

“What, you don’t offer your guests a beverage? I’m not here to be interrogated you know. Mrs. Suit always offers me some tea.”

“Oh, hi Moz. We were just about to go shopping. What’s up? Have you heard from Neal?”

Mozzie sighed. “No, Mrs. Suit, I haven’t heard from him.” 

El could see there was more that Mozzie wanted to say and the look on Peter’s face showed that he was hoping to get out of the shopping expedition. “Ok, you clearly have something you want to talk to Peter about so I’ll just go shop by myself. And, Peter, wipe that smug expression off your face. You will still have to help when I go Christmas shopping. Moz, its good to see you. I’ll be back in a bit,” she said as she walked out of the door.

“Ok, Mozzie, I don’t have tea. How about some coffee?”

“No thanks,” Mozzie replied as he took a seat on the couch. “Suit, have you heard anything about the commutation? Does it look promising?”

Peter sat down across from Mozzie, sighed, and rubbed his hand across his forehead. “I don’t know. The lawyer is pretty hopeful about it. I’ve been trying to keep it quiet at work but I’ve reached out to a few people I trust to ask them to speak on Neal’s behalf. Diana and Jones support it of course. Hughes has spoken to people higher up in the Bureau and he’s gotten them to agree to the anklet deal if Neal turns himself in.” Peter paused. “I’m hopeful Mozzie, but I don’t want to get my hopes up too much.”

Mozzie nodded thoughtfully. “If he doesn’t turn himself in and the commutation doesn’t happen, are you going to hunt him down and arrest him?”

“No, I can’t go through that again. If he goes to prison again he’ll have to be in protective custody; solitary, Mozzie. Otherwise, they’ll kill him for being a snitch. No, I won’t look for him.”

Mozzie nodded slowly. He never thought the day would come when he would trust a fed, but he couldn’t help but feel that Peter was being honest with him. Of course, he wasn’t willing to trust Peter completely. “I hope you mean that, Suit. It would be a shame to neglect your wife chasing after someone you’ll never find. I’ve got to be going now. Elizabeth can contact me if you hear anything about the commutation.” 

“Mozzie, the lawyer is trying to pull strings to get the commutation hearing set for early in December. If he’s going to turn himself in it needs to be soon.”

After Mozzie left Peter couldn’t help thinking about what Mozzie had said about how he’d never find Neal. He was sure he could find him if he tried. He always found Neal. Of course, he wasn’t going to try this time, but if he did try he was confident that he’d succeed. He took out a map and started thinking where Neal would have gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neal's road trip comes to an end and he prepares to settle down in his new home.

It was about two o’clock in the afternoon when Neal pulled into his driveway and parked his truck. He was home. The place looked exactly as it had the last time he’d been there six years ago. The property managers had done an excellent job. Of course, that’s what he paid them for. The account he had set up at a local bank was automatically debited for the monthly payments. He had also arranged for small deposits to his account from various sources Mozzie had set up. Nothing traceable to any questionable activities of course. Mozzie was a genius at that sort of thing. 

He first unlocked the door to the enclosed porch which led to the front door. Then he entered the front door, which opened into the small living room. He set his duffle bag down and went to turn on some lights. It was a dark, gloomy day. He stood and looked around. The kitchen was through a door to the left and to the right were the bedroom and bathroom. It was actually not much bigger than his loft apartment at June’s but it was really all he needed. The interior of the house was as well cared for as the exterior was. There was a clean fresh scent in the air. He smiled contentedly. It was good to be home. 

As he unloaded his truck he noticed a sign in the neighbor’s yard across the street. It said, ‘free kittens’. He stopped and stared at the sign. He remembered Mozzie telling him years ago, ‘guys like us can’t be tied down by pets. Especially cats, because they don’t travel well.’ He remembered the stray kittens that Moz had made him give away. He seemed to be frozen in place, just staring at the sign. Then, almost without really realizing what he was doing, he walked across the street and knocked on the neighbor’s door. 

The door was answered by a woman in her late 50’s. She had short dark hair with hints of grey and she was short and slightly plump. Some would have called her a motherly sort of person. “Can I help you,” she asked. 

“I hope so, Ma’am. My name is David-Neal Bennett, we met a few years back. I’m going to be living in that house over there,” he said, pointing to his home. “I saw the sign about the kittens and I was wondering if you would consider letting me have one…….or two.” He smiled shyly at her. 

“Well, I don’t know. I heard rumors that you’re planning to stay. My sister works for your property manager. She’s the one who cleans your house. Is it true you’re staying? You’ve owned that place for years and I don’t think you’ve spent more than 6 months total living there.” 

“Yes, ma’am, I’m definitely staying put and settling down.”

“Well, come on in and you can see the kittens. See if you take a liking to each other.”

She led him into the living room where he saw the mother cat curled up in front of the fireplace with her little ones. 

“Are they weaned? They still look very young.”

“Oh, yes, they are weaned, just about a weak ago. We’ve already given one away. These two are both females. We haven’t named them since we didn’t intend to keep them.”

Neal went and sat down on the floor next to the cats. Slowly reaching out his hand to the mother, he let her sniff him until she nudged his hand with her head. He scratched her behind the ears and under her chin. Then, again slowly, he picked up one of the little gray and white kittens and held it to his chest while he petted it. The other kitten looked up sleepily when she heard her sister purring. Neal scooped her up too and cuddled and petted them while totally forgetting the woman who sat on the couch watching him. He laughed when one of the kittens decided to head for high ground and climbed on top of his head. 

“Well, I guess that’s settled then. It looks like they’ve adopted you.” Neal looked up to see the woman smiling at him. 

He smiled back. “Is there a place in town where I can get kitten food and litter? I wasn’t really planning on getting pets this soon or I would have gotten everything I need for them when I came through Billings.”

“Well, now, the little store here in town should have about all you need, but I have to say you look like you’re about worn out from your drive. Why don’t I give you enough necessities for a day or two and you just take them home and get settled in?”

“I would really appreciate that, ma’am.”

“My name is Helen. Now, you just take your babies home and then come back for their food and litter box.”

An hour later Neal was sitting on his living room floor playing with his kittens. His clothes were in the washing machine and he’d managed to eat some soup. He still wasn’t sure if he was getting sick or if he was just run down from the events of the last few weeks. Whichever it was he thought an early night sounded good. He was supposed to call Mozzie tonight at 8:13 New York time and he knew after missing his other check-ins he couldn’t put it off. Mozzie would probably be leaving for his annual getaway in the morning and would be out of touch for awhile. 

*********************************  
When the burner phone rang at 8:13 that evening Mozzie didn’t answer it. It rang four times and stopped. A minute later it rang again; three times. Two minutes later it rang again and he answered it. “I saw a mockingbird in the park.”

“Really? I see two kittens playing on my living room floor.”

There was a long pause before Mozzie responded. “Seriously? Kittens? Do you really think it’s safe to get tied down by kittens? And why haven’t you been checking in as scheduled? There have been some serious developments that you should know about. We had a plan. A schedule. Did you consider how worried I’d be when you didn’t make contact?”

“I’m sorry, Moz. I think I was in shock for the first couple of weeks. This whole thing just hasn’t seemed real. I had been thinking I’d finish my sentence and I was making plans for the future when suddenly I found myself on the run again. It really messed with my head.” He stopped talking to take a sip of hot tea to soothe his throat. “The road trip was good for me, I think. I just got to the planned destination this afternoon and the neighbor had a ‘free kitten’ sign in her yard so I went to see them. I’ve decided that I’m done running like a wild animal. For however long it lasts, this is my home and I’m not going to run anymore.”

“Well, as I said, there have been some developments. The suit caught the guy who framed you and cleared you of any involvement in the thefts. It was another crooked Fed. Color me surprised. June hired a lawyer who is trying to get your sentence commuted. The suit and his minion suits are backing her up and Suit even got Stuart Gless to write a letter of support ‘due to your selfless heroism in the rescue of his daughter’”.

“Wow. Selfless heroism? I was trying to save myself as well as Lindsey. Not really selfless, but I won’t argue about it. Peter is ok with this?” 

“Yes, he’s really hopeful that this will work. There is a catch though. The lawyer says you will have a better chance if you turn yourself in. And the su..”

“No! I’m not going back to prison. If I turn myself in they’ll lock me up again.”

“Hughes got your anklet deal reinstated as soon as you turn yourself in. It’s already been approved by the Big Suits. And the lawyer is trying to get the hearing set for early in December. She thinks you have a good chance for commutation this time. June hired her. She’s one of the best criminal lawyers in the city. She’s compiled a stack of stuff…all the times the feds have set you up and used you. It’s your decision and I’ll support whatever you choose to do, you know that. But, Neal, this might be a good thing. You know I don’t trust the feds or the system but June trusts this lawyer and I’ve checked her out. She has an amazing success rate and some excellent connections. I think she can get this done. You need to think about it before you decide.”

“Ok, I’ll think about it. Look, I’ve got to go. I’m really tired. It’s been a long day and all this is just too much to deal with right now. I’ll call you in a day or two and we can discuss it then. Right now I just need some sleep.”

“Ok, Neal. I’m glad you’re safe. Get some rest and I’ll be here when you get a chance to call back. I gave the Suit a burner phone if you want to call him. He promised not to use it to track you down but if you do call him keep it short. Just in case. I’ll text you the number. Sleep well.”

********************  
It was a cold night, but underneath the down comforter he was warm and slept better than he had since leaving New York. He had expected to lay awake thinking about the news from Mozzie, but he must have fallen asleep almost as soon as he laid down. He woke to find both kittens sleeping next to him on top of the comforter. As he turned over they both woke up and loudly demanded attention. After a few minutes of petting and playing, he got out of bed to start his day. He’d showered late in the afternoon the day before and, since he wasn’t planning to go anywhere today, decided to skip his morning shower. It was as he was getting dressed that he realized that he was feeling much better this morning. He thought that he must have just been overly tired and hadn’t been coming down with a cold after all. He looked at the clock and realized that he had slept for ten hours. The good night’s rest had revived him. He went into the kitchen to get the coffee started and then poured some food into the kitten’s dish. When the doorbell rang he was startled and had a brief shot of panic run through him. He took a slow, deep breath and told himself not to be silly. There was no reason anyone would be suspicious of him. He walked slowly to the front door and looked through the peephole. The man standing there was tall, clean cut, about fifty-five years old. He had a serious expression and the coat he was wearing had the embroidered logo of the local police department. A cop. There was a cop at his door. He sighed as he opened the door; resigned to whatever fate awaited him.

“Officer, is there something I can do for you?”

“Mr. Bennett, I hope I’m not interrupting anything. I’m Henry Parks, Helen’s husband, from across the road. My wife sent me over to see how you’re doing and invite you to church. Besides being the police chief I’m also the pastor of the Community Church. We’d love to have you visit our church and have you over to our place for lunch after. That is if you don’t have other plans.”

Neal smiled as some of the tension in his stomach eased up. “Well, I don’t have other plans but I’m afraid that I really don’t own any church clothes. I do appreciate the invitation though.”

“Nobody at our church cares what you wear. What you have on is just fine. But I don’t want to pressure you. If you decide to come it’s easy to find the church. Turn right out of your driveway and head into town. Take a left on Hawkins Street and the church will be on the right. Worship is at 10:30. We’d love to see you there.”

Neal really had no good excuse to get out of it and thought he’d appear less suspicious if he went. Plus, the bonus of a home cooked meal was an added incentive. “If you’re sure I’m dressed ok?” Henry nodded and offered Neal an encouraging smile. “Ok, I’ll be there. Thank you.”

Neal looked at the clock after he closed the door and thought he had time to take a shower and put on some other clothes. He hurried off to the bathroom and showered. He looked in the mirror and decided not to shave. He’d been letting his beard grow while on the road but he kept it neatly trimmed. He towel dried his hair and went to the closet to get his clothes. Black jeans and a blue flannel shirt would have to do. 

Finding the church was as easy as Henry had said and he watched a few people enter as he got out of his truck. They seemed to be as casually dressed as he was. Ok, no reason to be nervous. He could do this. It would be good to meet people. He couldn’t live like a hermit without raising suspicions and he was a social person anyway. This would be good. Really.

There were about twenty people in the church when he went in and everyone was friendly and welcoming. An elderly couple took charge of him and showed him into the auditorium. It was only a few minutes before Pastor Parks got up and began the service by greeting everyone and asking them to make their visitor feel at home. He then proceeded to make some announcements.

“There are just a few short announcements today. Thursday is Thanksgiving and, as is our custom, we will be having a potluck here at the church for anyone who doesn’t have other plans. There’s a sign-up sheet on the table in the hallway if you are able to bring something, however, if you can’t bring anything don’t let that stop you from coming.” He seemed to look at Neal while he was talking. “Next Sunday is our turn to minister at the nursing home. Anyone who wants to help with that is welcome. The residents there always enjoy visitors. The final announcement I have is about Alice. We’ve been praying for her father, who had been ill for a few months. Most of you know that he passed away Friday, and Alice has gone to Kansas for the funeral. Please keep her and her family in your prayers. Of course, as a side note, that means we have no piano player today. Unless our visitor can help us out with that?” He looked hopefully at David-Neal.

David-Neal nodded slowly. Henry smiled and motioned for him to go to the piano. The rest of the service passed with Neal in a state of dazed bewilderment. Some of the songs were familiar to him and the ones which weren’t familiar were not too complicated for him to play. The prayer was one of thankfulness to God for his provision as well as comfort for those who had recently lost a loved one. The sermon was about forgiveness. Then there was another hymn and a closing prayer. Handshaking, introductions, smiles, and God-bless-yous. Even through his bewilderment his mind registered that this had been different from any other church service he had experienced. When he was a kid he’d always left church knowing he’d never be good enough to go to heaven. How was it that he could now feel hopeful in spite of his life of sin and crime? 

Just as he was about to leave Helen reminded him to come to their house for lunch. “We’ll be home in about twenty minutes. You come on over when you see the car in the driveway. You look like you could use a good home cooked meal. You’re too thin if you ask me.”

“He didn’t ask you, Helen,” Henry said affectionately. Neal couldn’t help but like this couple. They reminded him a little of Peter and Elizabeth.

“Thanks," Neal replied. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

Lunch with the Parks was delicious and entertaining. Neal felt an affection already growing for his neighbors and he hated that he had to be evasive about his past. They’d asked what he did for a living and where he’d been living all these years and he’d given vague answers about traveling and such. 

He let himself into his house and leaned back against the closed door. The house was warm and cozy. His kittens were curled up together on the couch. He wanted this so much. Wanted to keep what he now had. A normal life. If he got the sentence commutation he could stay here without fear of losing everything. Without it, he could only stay if he was willing to live a lie. He had conned himself into believing that using his real name would give him a clean slate but he knew now that wasn’t possible. No matter what name he used the truth was that he had committed many crimes in his lifetime. Even if he could hide from the law he was getting tired of trying to con himself. Using a different name wouldn’t really give him a clean slate.

He went and sat on the couch next to the kittens. He’d have to figure out what to name them soon. He petted them and sighed. He picked up the burner phone and stared at it. He wanted to talk to Peter but didn’t know if that would be wise. Neal felt lost and alone and unable to think his way through this situation. He dialed the number for the burner phone Mozzie had given Peter. He waited and when Peter answered he almost pushed the disconnect button. After a slight pause, he said, “Hello, Peter.”

“Neal? Is everything ok?”

Peter’s question was met with a long pause. Was he ok? Neal didn’t know anymore.

“Neal? What’s going on?”

“Peter," Neal whispered, cleared his throat and continued. “I talked to Mozzie last night. What do you think the odds are of me getting that commutation? I want so much to start over and quit screwing up and getting my friends hurt. But I feel like………like….I don’t know. I guess it’s been an overwhelming day and I just don’t see how things will ever turn out well for me.”

“Neal, tell me what happened. What was overwhelming?”

“I was drinking my coffee this morning when a policeman knocked on my door. And then…”

Peter quickly interrupted. “What? Why? What did you do?”

“I answered the door, Peter. What else could I do?”

“That wasn’t what I meant, and you know it. What did you do to bring the police to your door?”

“I didn’t do anything, Peter. I’m done with that. I’m trying to start over. Do the right thing. I had gone to the neighbor’s house yesterday and adopted two kittens. The neighbor lady who gave me the kittens is married to a cop. He came over to invite me to church. He’s the pastor. Pastor Cop.” Another sigh. “Peter, they are so nice. And I went to church and everyone was nice. I played the piano. Peter, I want this life so much and I’m so scared that I’m going to lose it. Just like I lost my life in New York with you and El and June. Just like I lost Kate.”

“Neal, listen. The lawyer really thinks you have a good chance at a commutation, but the odds would be better if you could turn yourself in. Can you come home and turn yourself over to me? Or I could come to get you. You’ve been treated unfairly by people who are supposed to uphold the law. You deserve a real chance now to start over. Let me help you with that. Let me come get you.” Peter laughed and said, “I could use a tropical vacation.”

“Well, it’s not exactly tropical here. The story I’m using is mostly the truth…..minus crimes and prison, of course. Peter, I’m going to need a little more time to think about this. I really do appreciate all you’ve done, but it’s a little overwhelming right now. ”

Peter was quiet for a moment as he thought about what to say. He didn’t want Neal to feel trapped or pressured. “OK, Neal, think it over for a day or two. Talk to June and the lawyer. Let me know what you decide.”

“Thanks, Peter. Bye.”

Elizabeth and Peter sat in silence for a moment, stunned. El, who’d been listening on speaker phone, spoke first. “Wow, I’ve never heard him sound so unsure of himself.”

“I think he really is serious about going straight. I wonder where he is? I really hope we’re doing the right thing by trying to get him to turn himself in.”

 

*********************************************  
Neal was exhausted and decided to go to bed early. It had been an eventful day. Maybe Peter was right. He’d been through many worse experiences than this in his life and he wasn’t normally an impatient person. This was a plan he had worked on for years and he wasn’t going to let a few unexpected developments get to him. 

He picked up a kitten in each hand and headed into the bedroom and deposited the kittens on the bed. After brushing his teeth and changing into his pajamas he got into bed carefully so he didn’t disturb the kittens. As he propped himself up against the headboard he thought again that he needed to name his kittens. After all, he couldn’t just keep calling them ‘the kittens’ and then ‘the cats’ when they grew up. Or could he? He smiled as he watched them snuggled together on the comforter. He could speak eight languages; why not call them ‘cats’ in another language? The Russian word for female cat was ‘Koshka’. Why not see if one of his kittens answered to it?

“Koshka, come here.” The little gray kitten with one white paw looked up and stared at him. Then she curled up and settled in to sleep again. Well, for a cat that was an answer. Now he just needed a name for the other. “Paka, hey, Paka," he tried the Swahili word for cat. No response. Oh well, cats were known for being independent so it really didn’t matter what he named them. They’d come when they chose and not when he called. Their names were Koshka and Paka. With a smile, he turned off the bedside light and laid down to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thiefton Montana is a fictional town. Any resemblance to a real town is unintentional.

Monday morning Peter woke up at his usual time, happy to be going to work instead of spending an awkward week at El’s parents. He showered, dressed and went downstairs to the kitchen, where El had already made coffee and started cooking breakfast. “What are the plans for today, Hon,” he asked as he poured coffee into his favorite mug. 

“I had cleared my schedule when we were planning to go to my parents, but since we’re not going out of town I thought I’d go to the office and catch up on a few things. My schedule is still clear, though. How about meeting me for lunch?”

“That sounds great. Why don’t you come to the office when you’re ready for lunch. We don’t have any big cases yet, so I should be available at any time. It will be a good distraction for me. It’s going to be hard not telling Diana and Jones about hearing from Neal. Even though we aren’t allowed to be part of the search team Diana has sources keeping her in the loop. If she gives me any updates on that it will take some acting skills to play dumb. The last I heard they suspected he had taken a train to Canada and from there flown to Europe.” Peter smiled and shook his head. “It sounds like he outdid himself this time. I don’t think I’ll be able to find him if he decides not to tell me where he is.”

El stood behind his chair and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “He’ll tell you. Maybe."

“I promised not to try to find him and the bureau doesn’t want me involved in the search. So, it’s up to him.” He finished the last of his coffee, took his cup to the sink and kissed his wife. “I’ll see you for lunch.” 

*************************  
The kittens woke Neal up early Monday morning mewing for food and wanting to play. With the weather forecast predicting cold temps but no snow Neal decided it would be a good day to go to Billings to buy some things for Koshka and Paka. They would need a scratching post and some toys and treats. He made a list of things he needed while he was eating his breakfast and was ready to leave just after sunrise. 

His first stop in Billings was the pet store. He may have gotten a little carried away shopping for the kittens, but they were his family now. They deserved the best. 

Next up was a department store for some high-quality sheets and towels for himself because, though he may not deserve the best, he liked the best. One other important item on his list was an e-reader so he could buy the books he wanted without cluttering up his little house. While he preferred the feel and the smell of a real book they did take up a lot of space and if he had to run the Kindle was more portable. 

His final stop was the grocery store. He wanted to stock up on food just in case the weather turned severe. 

Before heading home he stopped at Taco John’s for a late lunch. He’d first eaten at a Taco John’s on his recent road trip. As with so many things he had done on that trip, it was not something Caffrey would ever do. He justified the greasy, fast food choice by reminding himself of the healthy choices he’d made at the grocery store. The little town he lived in had no fast food or take-out restaurants. There was a little cafe that was only open for breakfast and lunch, so he’d be eating his own cooking most of the time. It was a good thing he enjoyed cooking.

It was mid-afternoon when he began the drive home. The sun behind him seemed to light up the farmland and prairie against the dark clouds to the East. He pulled his truck over several times to get out and take photos of the dramatic scenes. He needed to order some art supplies and paint some of the scenes he’d photographed. 

He parked his truck in the garage and then began to carry the groceries into the house through the kitchen door. Koshka and Paka came running when they heard him and he set down the bags and then sat down on the floor and petted them. It had been a long day and it was good to be home. 

*****************************

David-Neal got up Tuesday morning and decided to go into town for breakfast. There was a little place called Mom’s Sunrise Cafe that he had eaten at when he’d last been here six years ago. As he parked his truck he thought it still looked quite popular. He entered the cafe and observed an atmosphere of chaos. People were talking loudly about how long they had waited and were threatening to walk out. The waitress looked ready to cry while there were plates under the heat lamps waiting to be served. When the waitress noticed him she shook her head and apologized. “I’m sorry, but the other waitress and one of the cooks quit this morning and you may have to wait a while before you get served.” She then turned and filled some coffee cups at a table with four complaining men. 

Walking up to the waitress he took the coffee pot from her and finished pouring the coffee. “My name is David-Neal Bennet and I’d be happy to help out. Why don’t you start serving those plates while I refill everyone’s coffee? We’ll talk later about hiring me if the boss thinks I’m doing a good job.” He smiled at her and gave her a little wink. He then went around filling cups until the pot was empty and then swapped out the empty pot for the full one behind the counter. After the waitress, Maggie according to her name tag, had served the plates more men started to complain. 

“We’re waiting for our checks! We’re going to be late for work!” 

The cook stepped out from the kitchen at that point. David-Neal remembered seeing him at church two days previously. “Everyone who can remain quiet and patient can have their meal on the house. Everyone who wants to complain can have their meal on the house but don’t bother coming back. Got it?” 

David-Neal then approached the complainers and asked, with a smile, if they would like some coffee to go. After staring at him a moment the men replied politely “thank you, that would be great.” And they thanked him again a few minutes later as they took their ‘to-go-cups’ of coffee out the door. 

The cook then called out to David-Neal from the kitchen. “Hey, man, do you want a job?”

“Sure. It’s been a while, but I have experience. I’ve waited tables and worked as a short-order cook.” He’d had a lot of jobs in the past to keep busy in between heists. 

“Ok, help us clear out this rush, then we’ll fill out the paperwork while you eat. My name is Doug Lewis. I own this place and I appreciate your help this morning. Didn’t I see you at church Sunday?”

“Yes, I live across the street from Henry and Helen.” He couldn’t help smiling as he began to clear the table that had just been vacated. He could get used to small-town life.  
Returning home after work that afternoon he reflected on the day’s developments. After the breakfast rush, he and Doug had sat down to talk about the job. David-Neal had been surprised that Doug wasn’t intending to run a background check on him. All Doug had asked is whether he had ever been convicted of any violent crimes and if he intended to steal from him. The honest answer to that was ‘no’. He hadn’t planned on getting a job, but he had enjoyed the work. The cafe was only open for breakfast and lunch so he’d still have afternoons and evenings to himself. It would be a great place to meet people. And it wasn’t like he was obligated to stay there. If someone who needed the job more showed up he’d give up the job to them. Koshka and Paka were on the couch and he sat next to them. Both kittens raised their noses and sniffed the air. They then got up and climbed in his lap, sniffing his shirt in an excited manner. “Hey, babies, Daddy got a job today. I guess you noticed I smell like bacon.” 

The kittens settled down to sleep in his lap and he relaxed as he reflected on how his life had changed. He did miss some things about New York. He missed his friends and he missed working with the white collar crew. If only he’d had reason to hope that Peter believed in him at the time he never would have run. But Peter had seemed to distance himself from him when he was a suspect for the theft of evidence. Looking back now he could see that Peter was trying to investigate the crime without giving the real thief a reason to be nervous. It was a smart play, but he wished that Peter had given him a sign, or a reason to hope. 

He leaned his head back on the couch and sighed. What was he doing? Why was he continuing to settle down here when he knew he should turn himself in. As much as he hated to admit it, turning himself in was the sensible thing to do. He knew that, if he chose to remain a fugitive, the odds of commutation were slim. And that meant spending the rest of his life looking over his shoulder. He’d made a bold statement to Mozzie about not living like an animal on the run anymore, but the truth was it would always be there in his mind. And he knew that if he was caught he would go to prison. Getting caught would mean no anklet option. There was also Peter’s career to think of. Peter had taken a lot of risks for him over the years and was continuing to do so. Pushing for the commutation could backfire on Peter if it didn’t go well. 

Okay, so he knew what he had to do. He would turn himself in. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. The question now was how? If he went to New York to turn himself in to Peter he’d have to either take the kittens with or get someone to take care of them. Traveling could be dangerous. If he was even pulled over for speeding he could be thrown in jail. Sure, that had been a possibility throughout his road trip, but with the chance of a commutation, it seemed like he had more to lose now. Maybe it would be best to let Peter come to him. But he wanted to get it over with, and why ruin Peter’s holiday? He moaned in frustration. Abruptly he grabbed his phone and dialed Peter’s number before he had time to second guess himself anymore.

Peter was just sitting down to watch the news when the burner phone rang. El had been about to start dinner but rushed into the living room when she realized that Neal was calling. “Put it on speaker, Peter,” she said as she sat down.

“Hello, Neal. I’ve got you on speaker. El’s here with me. How are you doing? Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

“Yes, I want to turn myself in to you. But I don’t want to ruin your holiday. Could you come to get me after Thanksgiving?”

“Neal, this isn’t something that should be put off. I’ll come to get you as soon as I can make travel arrangements. It might be tough getting a flight over the holiday, but maybe I can pull some strings. Tell me where you are and I’ll start making arrangements then call you back.”

Neal froze. He felt a sense of panic rush through him. His heart started racing and he started feeling dizzy. It had been years since he’d had a panic attack, but he recognized the symptoms. He fought against it, trying to calm himself and control his breathing. He gasped, “Peter…..I can’t……need to…” Nausea clutched his stomach and he clumsily grabbed for the trash can. He coughed and gagged and struggled for breath. 

“Neal! What’s going on? Are you ok?” They could hear Neal’s gasping and retching as they sat there helpless. “Neal!”

“Peter, ‘m …ok. Need…..to call…..you back.” 

The call disconnected and Peter and El sat in stunned silence for a few seconds. “El, can you call Mozzie on your phone? We need to find out what just happened. If he knows where Neal is we can call EMT’s or the police to check on him.” Peter dialed Neal’s number but there was no answer. 

El was already dialing before Peter finished speaking. After three rings Mozzie answered. “Mrs. Suit. Have you heard from Neal?”

Peter grabbed the phone and put it on speaker. “Mozzie, we were talking to Neal and he said he wants to turn himself in. He sounded fine but when I asked him where he is it sounded like he was having trouble breathing and then we heard him vomit. Then he said he’d call back and he disconnected the call. Do you know where he is? Is he sick? Should we call EMTs?”

“You said he seemed ok until you asked where he is?” 

“Yes, then he started gasping for breath and throwing up.”

“Don’t worry. It’s probably a panic attack. He’ll be ok in a bit and then he’ll call you back. I’ll probably be to your house before he calls but, if I’m not, don’t pressure him. Just make small talk. I’m on my way.” Mozzie disconnected before Peter could reply.

Peter and El looked at each other in stunned silence. Neither of them had ever suspected that Neal suffered from panic attacks. After a moment El spoke. “Well, it is understandable, I guess. These last few weeks must have been incredibly stressful. It’s just so weird because he always is so controlled.” Peter just nodded and dialed the phone again. No answer.

While Peter and El waited impatiently for Mozzie to show up Neal lay on his couch trying to slow his breathing. He closed his eyes and forced himself to take deep breaths. He felt the kittens jump up on the couch, walk over his stomach and settle on his chest. As his heart rate slowed he began to experience overwhelming exhaustion. And then he slept.

When Mozzie arrived Peter was busy trying again to call Neal. When there was still no answer he tossed the phone on the coffee table and, with his hands on his hips, went into interrogation mode. “Where is he, Moz?”

Mozzie took a seat on the couch and replied, “I would love a glass of wine, thank you for asking.”

“Mozzie! It’s been over a half an hour since Neal started gasping for breath and puking. I want answers.”

“Suit, if Neal wants you to know where he is he will tell you himself. He said he’d call back, right? Give him time. I’ve seen his panic attacks last for about a half hour and then he’s exhausted. I don’t think he’s had an attack in a while, but I can’t be sure. He does love his secrets. Try calling him again, but he might be sleeping.”

Neal was dozing fitfully when the ringing of the phone woke him. By the time he found the phone it had stopped ringing, but he knew it must be Peter. He started dialing Peter’s number but realized he was thirsty and really needed to brush his teeth. Ten minutes later he heard Peter yelling at him through the phone. 

“Neal! What the heck happened?”

Neal sighed. Mozzie was the only person who knew he had ever suffered from panic attacks and he hadn’t had one in years. Thankfully, the few he’d had in prison had happened at night, when he was alone in his cell. “It’s wasn’t a big deal, Peter. I’m sorry if I worried you. I’m ok now.”

“Mozzie is here and you’re on speaker. Don’t tell me it wasn’t a big deal. You were gasping for breath and puking. Moz says it was a panic attack. Is he right?”

“Yes, he’s right. But I’m fine now. Just tired. It was just…….I know I said I’d turn myself in. But, when you asked where I am I freaked. Once I tell you that there is no turning back. This has been my escape plan for years. If things don’t work out with the commutation I can never come back here.” He paused a moment. “Mozzie, what should I do?”

Mozzie looked at Peter as though he was trying to read his mind. He didn’t trust any feds, but he knew that Peter really did care about Neal. Mozzie also knew that June loved Neal like a son and she had hired the best lawyer around. “Neal, if you want a normal life then turning yourself in is the smart move. If it doesn’t work out…well, there’s always another way. Leave the backup plan to me.”

Peter’s eyes squinted and he looked at Mozzie like the paranoid little nut job had just lost his last marble. “Ok, I didn’t hear that. And there will be no more talk like that for me to not hear. Got it?”

“Talk like what, Suit?”

“Neal? Take a deep breath and tell me where you are. I’ll come to get you. It will be ok.” 

Neal took a deep breath, and then another. “Um, it’s David. My real name is David-Neal…..Bennet, and I’m in Montana. Thiefton, Montana. It’s a long story.”

“Tell me the short version. What do you mean your real name is David?” Peter had quickly gone from trying to keep Neal calm to interrogation mode again.

“Ok, my dad was a dirty cop who killed another cop when I was three. He turned state’s evidence, mom divorced him and we went into witness protection. The Marshalls gave me my first alias, Danny Brooks. When I was eighteen-ish I left and became Neal Caffrey. I had a copy of my real birth certificate, and I kept that identity as a sort of retirement plan. When I was twenty-one I bought a house in Montana.” 

“Wow, ok. I’m gonna want the long version of that later. Ok, I’ll see about travel arrangements. Listen, no more panic attacks, ok?”

“Ok. Look, I’m pretty tired and I have to be to work early tomorrow. I guess I’ll have to quit the job I started today. Anyway, I need to get to bed. You can let me know the details tomorrow. I should be home by about five o’clock your time.” 

“Alright, we’ll talk to you then. Good night, Neal.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Jones take a road trip to Montana. Neal tells Doug a little about his situation.

While Neal headed to bed the Burkes and Mozzie discussed how to get Neal safely back to New York. El was on the computer checking flight schedules. Mozzie grew agitated and started pacing. 

“Suit, you can’t bring him back on a plane. For one thing, this is the busiest travel weekend of the year. For another thing, he’ll have to be cuffed for the whole flight, right? And, if you fly to Montana it will draw attention to Neal’s location. He doesn’t know all of the details of why he was in witness protection all those years. He has been careful to make sure that the marshals never connect his Caffrey identity with his real identity. If you have to connect the two identities you should wait until after the commutation. He has enemies even in the FBI. You know that. It would be best to let him leave Caffrey behind when he gets his freedom.”

Peter listened to what Mozzie was saying and, as much as he hated to admit it, some of what he said made sense. It went against his faith in the system to keep Neal’s real name off the record, but the justice system had let Neal down too many times. 

El had remained quiet while the men had been talking but she decided to voice her opinion now. “Peter, Mozzie may be right. But the name situation is not something that needs to be decided right now. I could try to book a flight for tomorrow and you could return with Neal on Saturday, but there is another option. I checked the map app and to drive would take about twenty-six hours. There’s a little snow in the Midwest, but it’s not predicted to be severe, and it shouldn’t be a problem. If we take turns driving we could be back before the weekend is over.”

“Driving might work. But, technically, this is official FBI business. I should take an agent with me and you should stay home. We’d never be able to find anyone to watch Satchmo with this short of notice anyway. Let me call Jones and see if he wants to take a road trip. I’m pretty sure he didn’t have any plans for Thanksgiving anyway.” Peter took his phone out of his pocket and started dialing. He paused and looked over at Mozzie. “Moz, are you ok with this? We can discuss the name situation after we get Neal back home.”

Mozzie was hesitant, but he nodded. “Ok. Take care of him. He trusts you, so don’t let him down. I’d better be leaving. Mrs. Suit, keep me updated on any developments.”

El walked Mozzie to the door while Peter made his call to Jones. “Peter will look after Neal, Moz. Don’t worry.” Moz nodded as he walked out the door.

“Jones, do you have any plans for the holiday weekend?”

“Peter? No, I was just going to stay home and relax. Why? You need me to work on something?”

“Well, I was wondering if you’d be up for a work-related road trip. Neal called and wants to turn himself in.” Peter smiled. “What’s the latest you’ve heard about his location?”

“There has been speculation that he’s in Vanuatu, but I’m guessing that’s wrong since driving wouldn’t be an option. So where is he?”

“Would you believe Montana? It’s going to be about a twenty-six-hour drive. I’m thinking if we can leave tonight and take turns sleeping we can drive straight through. You up for it?”

“I can be ready in less than an hour. Let’s do it.”

“I’ll throw some clothes in a suitcase and be by to pick you up in about an hour.” Peter disconnected the call and turned to find El already on her way up the stairs to start packing. He ran up the stairs after her and caught up to her in the bedroom. He grabbed her from behind, hugged her and kissed her neck. “Are you ok with this, Hun?”

El turned in his arms and kissed him. “Of course I’m ok with it. Although I wish I could go with you. Just be careful and bring him home safely.”

*****************************

Less than an hour later Peter and Jones were on their way out of the city. They had a large thermos filled with coffee, a cooler filled with soft drinks and a box of snacks that Elizabeth had gathered for them. “Jones, why don’t you get some sleep and I’ll wake you up in a few hours to take over driving.”

“I’ll get some sleep after you tell me what’s going on here. Who convinced Caffrey to turn himself in? And why is he in Montana? We never had any indication that he was anywhere in the states.”

Peter spent the next fifteen minutes telling Jones the basics of what had transpired to bring this situation about. By the time Peter was done talking his adrenalin rush was wearing off, and it was decided that Jones would drive while Peter got a few hours of sleep.

****************************

Neal was getting ready for work when he noticed the flashing light on his phone indicating a voicemail. Nervously, he pressed the button to listen to the message. “Neal, Jones and I are on our way to get you. We’re driving straight through, and we should be there around midnight your time. Don’t freak out about this. It will be ok. We’ll call you when we’re close to your place. See you soon.”

Well, there was nothing to do about it now. He might as well go to work and tell Doug that it would be his last day at work. He sighed. Maybe he’d only be away a few weeks. 

Ten minutes later he walked into the restaurant. He was early, and Doug was just getting things ready for the day. He might as well get this over with, he thought. “Doug, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Doug turned around from the coffee maker and said, “Good morning. What’s up?”

Neal took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I really appreciate you giving me this job, and I feel terrible about this, but I’m going to have to leave town for a few weeks. At least, I hope it’s only for a few weeks. Anyway, I can work today, but……..I’m sorry. It’s kind of an emergency. I hope you can find someone to replace me.”

There was a look of concern on Doug’s face as he nodded. “Is there anything I can do for you? Are you ok?”

“I’ll be ok. It’s just some unfinished business I need to take care of. If things go well, I’ll be back by the end of the year.”

“And if they don’t go well? Is this some kind of legal trouble?” Neal looked him in the eye but didn’t answer. “Ok, you don’t have to tell me. When you get back come and see me. I’ll give you a second chance at the job. And if you decide you want to talk about it I’ll be happy to listen. Anything you tell me is between us. One thing I learned in prison is how to keep a secret.”

Neal’s eyebrows went up at that bit of information. “Prison? You were in prison?”

Doug poured two cups of coffee and motioned for Neal to sit on a stool at the front counter. “Yeah, I was in prison. About ten years ago. I robbed a gas station to get money for drugs. It was stupid. I was in for two years. They let me out early for good behavior; the prison was overcrowded. My folks owned this place and I came to work here when I was released. When they passed away I inherited it. The point is, my folks gave me a second chance. The people of this town gave me a second chance. You kinda look like you could use a second chance.”

“Maybe. It’s a long story. I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about it yet.” Neal smiled and took a sip of coffee. 

“Ok.” Doug looked at him thoughtfully. “So, are you ok working with a guy who was in prison?”

David-Neal looked at Doug with an unreadable expression. “Yes, are you?”

Doug smiled at him. “Yes. I kind of suspected. You can tell me about it when you get back. In the meantime just let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you.”

“Actually, there is something you could do for me if you wouldn’t mind. Feel free to say ‘no’ of course, but I need someone to take care of my kittens. I can ask my neighbors if you don’t want to do it.”

“Kittens? Well, I could do that for a few weeks. But what if you’re gone longer?”

“I don’t know.” 

The sad expression on Neal’s face reminded Doug of a puppy who was afraid of being kicked. “Ok, man, don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of them until you come back. No matter how long that may be.”

Neal breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Thanks. Should we get to work?”

The day passed quickly and soon it was time to close up the restaurant and go home. “How about I follow you home and pick up those kittens. I’m kinda looking forward to taking care of them”. Doug put his arm around Neal’s shoulder as they were going out the door.

“Thanks,” Neal said as he turned quickly to hide the moisture in his eyes.

The kittens came running to him when Neal walked in the door and he picked them up and snuggled with them before handing one to Doug. “That’s Koshka. And this is Paka. I’ll pack up their favorite toys as well as their food and other things. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“I’m sure. They’re cute. This is going to be fun. Hey, are you going to be able to go to the potluck at church tomorrow?”

“I’m not sure. I hope so. It depends on how soon my Feds want to get me back to New York and slap a tracking anklet back on me.” David-Neal laughed at the shocked look on Doug’s face. “It sounds worse than it is. I hope. In the past I’ve been a bit of a flight risk, but I’m turning myself in this time. Anyway, I’ll try to talk them into staying for lunch.”

After Doug left, Neal went to the little grocery store in town to pick up a few things. Peter had said he’d arrive around midnight but he hadn’t said what the plans were for their return to New York. It could be that Peter would want to leave after just a few hours of sleep, but he hoped they would let him stay until at least Thursday evening. Still, even if Peter wanted to return to New York almost right away he had several hours before they would arrive. There was plenty of time to bake some pies for the church Thanksgiving dinner. If Peter wouldn’t let him stay then he’d send the pies to church with Helen and Henry. 

It was about eight o’clock when Neal finished cleaning the kitchen and decided he’d try to get a few hours of sleep before Peter and Jones arrived. 

******************************

Peter was sleeping when he felt the car decelerate and opened his eyes to see they were exiting the highway. “Where are we, Jones?”

“About an hour from Thiefton. Just need to top off the tank and use the facilities. You can drive the rest of the way.” 

Peter sat up, rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Ok. I hope Neal has some spare beds for us. If not he’s gonna be spending the rest of the night on the couch or the floor.”

“I hear that. You can call him while I pump the gas.”

“Will do.” Peter pulled out his phone, dialed and waited for Neal to answer. “Neal. We’re about an hour away. I hope you have beds for us.”

“I can work something out. Drive carefully; it’s starting to snow a little bit here.”

“Ok, see you in a bit.”

Neal threw back the comforter and got out of bed. His mind had been so focused on what would happen when he got back to New York that he had forgotten about the problem of sleeping arrangements. He only had one bedroom, and he needed to change the sheets if he was going to let Peter use his bed. He stripped off the sheets and got clean ones out of the closet. After putting the dirty sheets in the washing machine he got another set of clean sheets out of the closet and made up the sofa bed for Jones. If Neal got any more sleep tonight it would have to be in the recliner. 

Just under an hour after Peter’s phone call a car pulled into his driveway and he went to open the door. A very tired looking Peter pulled him into a hug. “Neal, it’s good to see you. Let’s get inside, It’s too cold out here. Why couldn’t you have run to someplace warm?”

“Caffrey, glad you decided to turn yourself in. We’d have never found you here. Can I use your bathroom?” 

“Sure.” Neal pointed the way and took the coats to the closet and hung them up. “I’m sorry, but I only have one bedroom. I put clean sheets on the bed and there’s the sofa bed too. I guess, since you’re the boss, the choice is yours. Do you need to call El to let her know you’re here?”

“Yeah, I’ll call her. Hey, where are you going to sleep?”

“I can sleep in the recliner. You and Jones deserve to be comfortable. Peter, I really appreciate you both coming to get me.”

“Hey, we were happy to come get you. I wouldn’t want to take a chance on someone else catching you. That’s my job.”

“Ha.”

“Ok, I’m gonna call El and then get some sleep. If you stay on your side of the bed we can share. I was thinking we could get a good night’s sleep and then start out for New York about ten in the morning.” Neal was able to hide the disappointment he felt thanks to Jones walking into the room. 

“Jones, I guess the sofa bed is all yours. Peter and I are going to share the bed.” Neal hesitated for a moment then decided to say what was on his mind. “Peter…..I was wondering…..”

“Wondering what?”

“Well, I know you want to get back to New York and it’s the holiday weekend and all…but I was wondering if we could wait to leave until tomorrow afternoon. Around four maybe?”

Peter squinted his eyes as he tried to figure out Neal’s angle. “You said you wanted to turn yourself in. Why are you now trying to put it off.”

“Well, Peter, technically I’ve already turned myself in. I’m in your custody now, right? The thing is…..well, there’s this potluck Thanksgiving thing at church tomorrow at noon. I’ve baked some pies and we could leave right after……Please?”

Peter’s eyebrows rose as he stared at Neal. “Church? Seriously?”

“Well, yeah…..Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy……..pie.”

Jones had been quiet during this exchange but decided to speak up. “Pie sounds good, Peter. And we could start out in the afternoon. We’d still be able to get home by Friday night. And you know it might sound good at the commutation hearing to say he’s involved in church. Come on, Peter.”

“All right, I’m too tired to argue. I’m going to call El, use the bathroom and get some sleep.” He pulled out his phone on the way to the bathroom. 

Neal waved his hand toward the sofa bed. “I hope it’s comfortable for you. Hey, Jones? Thanks for talking Peter into staying for the potluck.”

“Sure thing, Caffrey. See you in the morning.”

**********************

David-Neal didn’t get a very restful night of sleep due to the snoring coming from the other side of the bed. He gave up trying to sleep at about six in the morning. Since Jones was sleeping on the sofa bed the only place he could sit without disturbing his guests was the kitchen. He quietly made some coffee and sat down at the table to read. It was an interesting book that he had downloaded for free on his Kindle. “Ox-Team Days on the Oregon Trail” by Howard Driggs. He thought about the wagon ruts he had seen on his trip to Montana. He had thought at the time that, like the pioneers, he had left his old life and friends behind and was unlikely to see them again. Well, things seldom turned out like he expected them to. 

When he heard Peter walking to the bathroom at seven o’clock he put his book down and got up to begin cooking breakfast. The noises must have woken Jones, who came looking for coffee. 

“Good morning, Jones. Did you sleep well?”

“Not bad, thanks. How about you? I know Peter snores.” Jones sat down at the table to enjoy his coffee while he waited to take his shower.

“Well, I’m glad I got a few hours of sleep before you got here. Did he keep you up? This is a small house; you probably heard him too.”

“I was in the Navy, remember. I’m used to sleeping around snoring men. This is a nice little house. How did you find it? What made you come to Montana?”

“I think we’d better wait for Peter before I tell the long version of that story. It sounds like he’s done with his shower. I’ll have breakfast ready by the time you’re done with yours. Oatmeal, eggs, and bacon ok with you?”

Jones got up from the table to get ready for his shower. “Sounds great. I won’t be long.”

A half an hour later they were all sitting at the kitchen table eating their breakfast. Peter reached for another slice of toast and said casually, “So, tell us what you’ve been up to these last few weeks.”

“You know what I’ve been up to Peter. I’ve been a fleeing felon doing my best to avoid capture by ‘the man’”. He gave Peter a classic Caffrey smile.

“Uh huh. I’d like a few more details.”

“Why? So you can file it away for future reference? Ok. I guess I might as well tell you since I won’t be able to ever come back here if things don’t go well. I took a road trip. Backroads, camping, sightseeing. I went to St Louis for a couple of days. Nothing illegal. Didn’t rob any banks. Just like a normal guy on vacation.” He paused thoughtfully then looked up to meet Peter’s gaze. “It was a bit stressful, especially the first few days. But I had fun. I felt free. I’m not sure I can really explain it. In spite of being on the run, I felt light-hearted and free.” As he stopped talking his gaze seemed to refocus as though he was reliving the past few weeks. He shrugged his shoulder and shook his head. “Weird, huh?” He had finished his coffee and got up from the table to take his dishes to the sink. “I’m going to go take a shower. Feel free to search the place while I’m busy. You can go into full interrogation mode when I get back.” The smile he gave Peter held a hint of teasing in it. 

Peter laughed. “I’m sure if you had anything to hide it would be well hidden by now. You had plenty of notice that we were coming. I look forward to the interrogation though.” Neal rolled his eyes at that as he walked away.

Jones gave Peter a curious look. “I’m sure there isn’t anything illegal to find but we still might be able to learn a few things about him by looking around.” Peter poured himself another cup of coffee while Jones started a casual search. After looking through the books (none of which were hollowed out) he moved to the desk, sat down and began slowly looking through the drawers. “It doesn’t look like he’s been here long enough to have many personal effects. This place barely looks lived in.”

Before Peter could respond there was a knock on the front door. Peter’s eyebrows rose as he slowly went to open the door. He was met by a man in his late fifties. The man was about the same size as Jones with short, graying hair. There was a slight look of surprise on his face. “I was looking for David-Neal. Is he home?” 

Peter stepped back to allow the man to enter. “Sure, he’s in the shower right now. Is there something I can help you with?”

“My wife sent me over. She wanted me to remind David-Neal about the lunch at the church today. You two are more than welcome to come as well if you don’t have any other plans. Sorry, I guess I should introduce myself. I’m Henry Parks, David’s neighbor. I’m the pastor of the church.”

Peter smiled at him and offered his hand as he introduced himself. “I’m Peter Burke, and this is Clinton Jones. We’re friends of David’s from New York. Ne..uh, David talked us into staying for lunch at the church before heading back home this afternoon.” It was then that David walked into the room wearing jeans and a flannel shirt, still towel drying his hair. 

He took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking. “Good morning, Henry. Would you like some coffee? There’s something I would like to talk to you about if you have a few minutes.”

“Well, sure, I’ve got a few minutes. Helen and the church ladies have everything under control and they won’t miss me. What’s up?” He followed the other men into the kitchen and sat down at the table while David filled a cup with coffee and set it in front of him.

David-Neal sighed. “I’m not sure how to say this except to just come out straight with it. These are friends of mine from New York. They are also FBI agents. This is Special Agent Peter Burke and that’s Agent Clinton Jones. I called them to turn myself in, and they came here to take me into custody and transport me back to New York.” Peter looked at Neal with a stunned expression. He hadn’t expected him to tell Henry anything other than that he was leaving for a few weeks. “It’s a long story but the short version is this: I’m a convicted bond forger working out my sentence as a consultant for the White Collar division of the FBI. I was framed by an FBI agent for a crime about a month ago and, when it looked like I’d be going back to prison, I ran. A friend of mine hired a lawyer and they are trying to get my sentence commuted. So I have to go back to New York for the hearing. I’m hoping, if it goes well, to come back here in a few weeks.” He stopped speaking and took another deep breath. “If my sentence is commuted will you have a problem with me coming back here to live?”

Henry looked from David-Neal to Peter and Jones and then looked down and shook his head. “I have to say I always thought there was something weird about you owning this place but never living here. I even ran a background check on you a few years ago but I didn’t find anything interesting. If you’re a convicted felon why didn’t I find that?”

“Well, I never committed any crimes while I was using my real name. I grew up in witness protection and the marshals changed my name when I was three. I changed it again myself when I was eighteen. I’ll admit that I had considered keeping all of this a secret from you but it just wouldn’t have felt right. I don’t want to live a lie anymore. I want to go straight.”

“Have you ever committed any violent crimes? Armed robbery? Possession of a firearm?”

Peter laughed. “Neal hates guns and violence. He couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag.”

Neal gave Peter a look. “Nice, Peter,” he said sarcastically.

Peter held up his hands and gave Neal an innocent look. “Am I wrong?”

“Well, if I were hypothetically trapped in a giant paper bag I would probably cut my way out using one of my lock picks.” He looked at Henry. “Hypothetically. If I had lock picks. So, um, anyway, if I get the commutation would you be ok with me living here knowing that I’m an ex-con?”

Henry nodded slowly. “Sure, as long as you’re not a fugitive or an active criminal. Everyone deserves a second chance. I do have a question though.” Neal waited expectantly for the question. “You said you’re going to be gone for a few weeks. Who is going to take care of your kittens?”

Neal smiled with a feeling of relief. “You know Doug Lewis? From the cafe? He said he would take care of them for as long as I’m gone. I really hate leaving them here, but I don’t think they’d like the twenty-six-hour car ride.”

“How do you know Doug?” Henry asked.

“He hired me Tuesday to work in the cafe. I had to quit yesterday but he said I’d still have a job when I get back. He seems like a nice guy.”

“He is. He’s one of our most faithful church members. You two have some things in common.”

“Prison?” David-Neal laughed. “Yes, he told me about that.”

Henry had finished his coffee and sat back in his chair. “I should be going unless there’s something else you need to tell me.”

“No, that’s it.” David stood up to see him out. 

“Agents, it was nice to meet you. We’ll look forward to seeing you at lunch.” 

As Neal closed the door he softly said, “Well, that went better than I expected.” He saw the still surprised look on Peter’s face. “What? Didn’t I tell you I was tired of living a lie? I meant it. Mozzie isn’t going to be happy with me but, I’m done with The Life. I survived prison the first time…..and the second and third time too, but I can’t do it again. I won’t do it again. 

“We have a few hours before we need to get to the church so I’m going to wash the towels and sheets. You can make some more coffee if you want some. Make yourselves at home.” He went over to the sofa bed and stripped the sheets off. Putting the sheets aside he folded the bed back into the frame and arranged the cushions. He gathered the sheets and was heading to the laundry area when Jones stopped him.

“Hey, Neal? Do you have a TV anywhere?”

“No. No TV. I have a radio in the kitchen and there are some books and magazines over there. I’ve never really stayed here long enough to bother with a TV.” He shrugged and flashed a smile. “The last time I was here was a few months before I went to prison.” 

After he had started the washing machine he returned to the living room and sat down on the couch. “Ok, interrogation time?”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neal tells Peter and Jones about his past and his plans for the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started this story in 2017 and had planned to finish it by the new year 2018. The plan was to finish it before posting but, I decided that posting might motivate me to finish it.

Peter looked at him, sighed, and shook his head. “How about we just talk? You told me on the phone that your dad murdered someone and you all went into witness protection. Who did he murder?”

“I don’t really know much about that. He murdered another cop but I don’t know the details. My mom had always told me he died a hero. When I was eighteen Ellen, my dad’s partner, she was the cop who arrested him, she told me about the murder and that he confessed and turned state’s evidence. Mom divorced him and we went into witness protection. Finding out that I’d been lied to my whole life was devastating. I didn’t take it well to say the least. I left home, St. Louis, and headed for Chicago. Drifted a while and ended up in New York where I met Mozzie. You know the rest.”

Jones had listened and when Neal stopped talking he took the opportunity to ask a question he’d had for a while. “So, what about your family? I mean, do you ever see your mother? Do you have any siblings?”

“I haven’t seen my mom since I was eighteen. I’m sure the marshals moved her and changed her name when I left. Ellen tracked me down a few years back when she saw my picture in the newspaper, but she had no idea where my mom was transferred to. She said that after I left my mom wouldn’t speak to her anymore. That’s all the family I know about. A father who is a murderer, a mother who is a liar and an alcoholic, and Ellen who isn’t an actual relative but is more like family than anyone else.”

Jones beat Peter to the next question. “And your real name is David?”

“Yeah, David Neal Bennett. I was only three when the marshals took us and they changed my name to Danny Brooks. By the time I was a teenager I didn’t even remember that my name had ever been anything else. When Ellen told me the truth I confronted my mother. We had a terrible argument. I said some really horrible things to her. She shouldn’t have lied to me all those years but I should have been more understanding about what she went through. When she gave me my real birth certificate I took it and left. Of all the things I’ve done in my life that argument is the thing I most regret.”

“Have you ever thought about asking the marshals to forward a message to her for you?”

“Sure, I’ve thought about it. But the marshals have never figured out that Neal Caffrey is Danny Brooks David Bennet. These last few years with the anklet I didn’t want to give them any information that they could use against me.”

“After your sentence is commuted I can talk to the marshals with you if you’d like. I’m sure your mother would love to hear from you.” 

Neal felt the sting of approaching tears and fought to keep them back. He took a deep calming breath and nodded. “Thanks, Peter. That would be great.”

Wanting to give Neal a break from the emotional conversation Peter asked in a teasing tone, “How did you end up with this house? Why Montana?”

Neal was grateful for the change of topic and rewarded Peter with a small smile. “Ah, well, funny story there. When I turned twenty-one I talked Mozzie into going to Vegas with me to celebrate. I won a little money playing slots and I used it to enter a poker tournament, which I won.” He paused briefly after Peter rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t a fortune, but it was a pretty good chunk of money. Mozzie hit pretty big playing Black Jack and gave me a nice cash birthday present. After a few days he was ready to get back to New York, but I wanted to take a road trip. So, I bought a used car and dropped Mozzie off at the airport. Then I headed north. I went to the Tetons and Yellowstone then started heading east. When I saw the ‘welcome to Thiefton’ sign I had to stop and check out the town. I found this house and bought it. I thought it was ‘allegedly’ funny, ya know? Thiefton. The only thing better would have been Forgerville.” He laughed. “It was meant to be. Mozzie wasn’t thrilled, but he did help me invest the rest of my money in legitimate ways so I’d always have a ‘retirement plan’”.

Peter shook his head in amazement. “Retirement? So, what are your plans now that you’re retiring? What’s this job you mentioned?”

“I work at Mom’s Sunrise Cafe. It’s a little diner in town.”

Peter leaned back in his chair scrubbed his hand over his face. “Neal……” He sighed. “That’s your ‘retirement plan’? Working in a diner? Neal, you’re the smartest man I know. You could do so much more with your life than work in a diner.”

“Well,” Neal looked a little embarrassed and uncomfortable. “I’ve been looking into getting my high school diploma and going to college. I’m just not sure what I want to be when I grow up. An artist, of course. But, really I’d like to be a teacher. Unfortunately, I’d never pass a background check. A name change is easy, but a lot of employers run fingerprints with the background check. So, I’ll keep my job at the diner while I take a few classes and paint in my spare time. I’ve been thinking of selling The Greatest Cake and maybe I can use the money to buy a place in town to use as a studio. I’ve even thought about opening a small gallery in Billings.” He shrugged. “The diner job just sort of happened by accident. You know how easily I get bored and the diner is a great place to meet people. I look at it as a stepping stone, Peter.”

“Well, it does seem like you’ve given some thought to the future. I’m proud of you, Neal. Although I wish you hadn’t run I do understand why you felt it was necessary. I should have let you know that I believed you were innocent of the evidence theft. I’m sorry about that.”

Neal sat quietly for a moment while he processed what Peter had said. “It would have been nice to know you believed me but the truth is you probably wouldn’t have been able to keep me out of prison while you investigated. I’m sorry if my leaving caused problems for you though. I never wanted that. But I couldn’t go back to prison. I’ve been a snitch for too long. I wouldn’t have survived a week before getting shanked.”

Peter sighed and nodded. “I know. And don’t worry about causing any problems with my job. It was a little tense right after you left but clearing your name helped.” Peter smiled at him. “And any problems I had were a small price to pay for the chance to find out about your mysterious past.”

“Hmm. Well, I’m glad you found a silver lining. Anything else you want to know?”

“Not right this minute, but if I think of something will you give me an answer?”

“Maybe. I might like to keep one or two secrets just to keep you on your toes. Don’t want you getting soft.” He got up from the couch and went to put the laundry in the dryer. When he returned to the living room he brought his laptop and placed it on the coffee table. “We’ve got some time to kill. Who wants to see pictures of my road trip?” Peter and Jones exchanged looks that seemed less than enthusiastic. “Oh, come on. I thought you’d want details about my life on the run.”

Peter smiled and gave Neal a backhand hit to the shoulder. “We’re just messing with you, Neal. We’d love to see what you did while you were fleeing from ‘the man’”.

The next hour seemed to fly by looking at road trip photos and listening to stories of David-Neal’s adventure as a fleeing felon. 

When the laundry was dry Neal folded it and put everything in its place. He then washed the dishes and cleaned the bathroom so everything would be spotless when he left. 

“If you don’t mind I’d like to get to the church a little early in case they need any last minute help setting things up. My bag is packed and ready to put in the car for the trip to New York. We can park your car in the garage and load it up so it’s ready to go and we can drive my truck to the church.” 

Jones just had to ask, “Neal, I’ve never thought of you as a pickup truck kind of guy. What’s up with that?”

“It was dark when you got here and I’m sure there wasn’t much traffic so I guess you didn’t get a chance to notice that most guys around here drive trucks. I’m just blending in, Jones. Fugitive 101. Hey, Peter, maybe when I’m free you can arrange for me to teach a few classes at Quantico.” 

“I don’t think we need to set you loose on the innocent kids at Quantico.” Peter handed over his car keys. “Why don’t you go move my car into your garage for me?”

“You trust me to drive your car?”

“Oh, believe me, you’re going to put in some time driving on the way home. You have a valid license, right? Don’t you think he should help with the driving, Jones?”

“Definitely. I’m still tired from the drive here. After eating turkey for lunch I think I’m going to be ready for a nap by the time we hit the road. He can drive the first shift.”

**********************************  
They arrived at the church early enough to help with a few last minute details such as setting up more chairs and making the coffee. As people started to show up David-Neal helped folks carry their casserole dishes in from their cars. 

When it was time to eat Henry waited while the people gathered closer. When conversations stopped he spoke a short welcome and then offered a prayer of Thanksgiving. “Lord God, we thank you for all who have gathered here. We thank you for all you have done for us and we thank you for the new friends you have brought into our midst. Most of all we thank you for your Son, who came to offer himself for our sins, that in him all who repent would find forgiveness. It’s in His name we pray. Amen.”

After making their way through the buffet line, Peter, Neal, and Jones sat down at a table in the back of the room. They were soon joined by Doug and Henry. Doug didn’t waste any time with small talk. “So, you must be his Feds. I just want to say that in the time that David-Neal has worked for me he has been hard working, dependable, and an exemplary employee in every way.”

Peter stopped with his turkey-laden fork halfway to his mouth. He lowered his fork and tilted his head with an enquiring look at Doug. “And how long has he worked for you?”

“He started working for me two days ago. I’ve told him that his job will be here for him when he gets back. And I’m willing to make a formal statement to that effect if it will help in any way.”

Peter nodded slowly. “We’ll be leaving for New York later this afternoon. If you want to write out a statement and have Henry and his wife sign it as witnesses we’ll make sure his lawyer gets it.” Peter’s gaze shifted to Neal and then back to Doug. “Did he tell you details of the situation?”

“No, I didn’t ask for details. He said he was turning himself in to the feds but he hopes he’ll be back here by the end of the year. I figured there would probably be some kind of legal proceedings.”

Peter nodded again. “Give us a written statement. But, you might want to refer to him as Neal Caffrey in your statement; just to avoid complicating things. And we hope he’ll be back soon, too. This probably isn’t the right time for details, but I’m glad he has people here who will stand by him.”

“Well, I saw those pies he brought in. If they taste as good as they look I think he’ll be in charge of the dessert menu at the diner. So, really, I’m just looking out for my own interests.” He smiled at Neal. 

“I enjoy baking. I think we can work something out.” 

There was plenty of pleasant conversation to accompany the meal and the time seemed to fly by. Neal helped with the cleanup while Peter and Jones spent time visiting with Henry. It was about two o’clock when they left the church and headed back to Neal’s house. Then it was time for the trip back to New York.


	8. Chapter 8

The car was loaded and they were on the road by three o’clock. Peter decided to take the first shift driving while Neal rode shotgun and Jones sat in the back seat to have a nap. Neal checked the weather forecast on his phone. “It looks like clear weather most of the way. There’s some light snow in the Dakotas but it should be clear by the time we get there. Road conditions are good. It’s going to be a full moon tonight.”

“That’s good to hear. We should be home Friday evening. El is planning a big dinner for Saturday afternoon. It’s a homecoming celebration for you. She wanted to come with me to get you but I told her it would be best for another agent to come with.”

“In case I tried to run or resist arrest?” Neal asked. 

Peter backhanded Neal’s shoulder playfully. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re turning yourself in and you never resist arrest. I just wanted it to be official and legal. To keep the marshals happy.” Peter paused and shrugged slightly. “Well, the marshals probably won’t be happy with anything less than you back in prison. But there’s nothing they can do as long as we cross the T’s and dot the i’s. I made a quick call to Hughes to let him know we’re bringing you back, I filed a trip plan, and sent a copy to your lawyer. I don’t want anything to screw up your commutation.”

“I really do appreciate all you’re doing, Peter.”

“You’ve already thanked me. Stop thanking me. It’s not necessary. If you go straight that’s all the thanks I need. Now, can you get me a bottle of water out of the cooler without waking Jones up?”

“I’m not asleep yet. Here’s your water, Peter.” Jones handed the water up to the front seat. 

“Thanks, Jones. Ok, we’ll be quiet so you can get some sleep.” 

Neal sat in the passenger seat and let his mind drift back to the last time he had traveled this road. It was on his way home from his trip to Vegas when he was twenty-one. He had bought the house in Thiefton and spent a couple weeks painting and furnishing it and then headed back to New York. How different his life would have been if he’d stayed in Montana instead of going back to Mozzie and the Adler con. A few weeks after getting back to New York he’d met Kate. If he’d stayed in Thiefton he would never have had his heart broken; never have gone to prison. But he’d also never have met Peter or June.

Peter glanced over at Neal who was being unusually still and quiet. Mindful of Jones sleeping in the back seat Peter quietly asked, “Hey, Neal, are you ok? You’re awfully quiet.”

Neal sighed and softly answered, “I’m fine, Peter. I was just thinking about the last time I was on this highway. I guess I was just thinking how different things would have been if I’d stayed in Montana when I was twenty-one. Stupid, right?”

“No, it’s not stupid, Neal. It’s normal even if it’s useless. Everyone has things they wish they’d done differently. So, your recent trip out here wasn’t your first road trip. Tell me about the last time you traveled this way.”

“It was a spontaneous, unplanned trip. I did a lot of sightseeing. I went to Devil’s Tower, the Black Hills, and Mount Rushmore. Do you know there’s a place in Minnesota….Blue Earth, I think was the name of the town…they have a giant statue of the Jolly Green Giant. It was an awesome road trip. I was twenty-one, carefree and impulsive.” 

“Hmmm, imagine that. Neal Caffrey….impulsive. I would never have guessed.”

“Very funny, Peter.” Neal motioned with his hand pointing out a road sign. “There’s a rest area in one mile. I’d like to stretch my legs and use the facilities if you don’t mind.”

“Sounds like a good idea. Maybe one of you can drive for a bit. You’d better wake Jones up.”

They’d been on the road for about five hours and were now driving in the dark. Even on the busiest travel weekend of the year, there wasn’t much traffic on this stretch of South Dakota highway. 

After they had used the restroom they headed back to the car. 

“Ya know,” Jones said, “I didn’t really eat much at lunch because I didn’t want to be uncomfortable sitting in the car for hours. Am I the only one who’s hungry?”

“Hmm, I could eat but I don’t think we’ll find any restaurants open at this hour on Thanksgiving, in the middle of nowhere. I think we’ll have to settle for some of the snacks my wife packed for us.”

“Really, guys? Did you not see the cooler I put in the trunk? The church ladies and Doug made us some turkey sandwiches. There’s also pickles, chips, and cookies. We can eat in the parked car so whoever drives won’t be distracted.”

Peter smiled and opened the trunk. “I love turkey sandwiches.”

They got back in the car and Neal handed out the sandwiches. “It looks like they labeled them. Who wants turkey with lettuce, green olives, and tomatoes?” 

“Mine.” Peter grabbed the sandwich. 

“Ok, this one has turkey, cream cheese, and cranberry relish. Jones?”

“Pass. What else have you got?” 

“Turkey and mayo on whole wheat bread.”

“I’ll take that one. How many sandwiches are in there?” Jones took the sandwich and began unwrapping it.

“Looks like six. There’s also some celery, and carrot sticks.” Neal took a bite of the turkey and cranberry sandwich. 

Twenty minutes later they were ready to get back on the highway. Jones was in the driver’s seat and Peter had moved over to the front passenger seat. Neal was in the back seat trying to get comfortable enough to sleep so he’d be alert when it was his turn to drive. 

“Now, how about we listen to the radio? It’s going to be a long night.” Peter turned on the satellite radio to a Christmas music station. Yes, Neal thought, it was going to be a long night. 

The miles and hours passed by and, thankfully, the radio station had changed several times. They were all awake and the conversation turned to breakfast. Peter wanted to drive through a fast food place and grab some coffee and a sandwich to eat while going down the road. Jones wanted to stop at a restaurant and get some real food and coffee. 

“Neal, I guess you’re the tiebreaker. What do you want to do?”

“Well, are you sure you really want to know my opinion?”

“Yes, Neal, or I wouldn’t have asked.”

“Let’s stop for a bit. It’s just six a.m. The restaurant shouldn’t be crowded yet and we should get pretty fast service. It won’t take too long and the break will be good.” They had changed driver’s a few times and Peter was now behind the wheel with Neal sitting beside him in the navigator position. Neal grabbed the GPS device and briefly searched for a place to eat. “Oooo, five miles ahead there’s a Cracker Barrel restaurant. Let’s eat there.”

“Cracker Barrel? I’ve never eaten at a Cracker Barrel but it doesn’t sound like a Caffrey kind of place.” Peter glanced sideways at Neal with his eyebrows raised.

“Let’s just say until we get back to New York you’re not riding with Caffrey. Bennet likes Cracker Barrel. And if we’re hungry when we go through Ohio David likes Skyline Chili.”

Jones had been observing Neal’s mannerisms as much as he could since they had arrived in Montana on Wednesday night. In spite of the situation, there was an openness that he’s never seen in Neal before. Jones wondered if it would last after they got to New York and put the anklet back on. 

Before long they were back on the highway and the rest of the journey was uneventful and boring. There were only short stops for gas, fast food, and bathroom breaks. It was nearly nine o’clock that evening when they dropped Jones off at his apartment and a half hour later they parked the car in front of Peter’s house. 

El greeted them as they walked through the door. She kissed Peter and gave Neal a hug. “Just set the bags down here for now. Neal, I’ve got the guest room all ready for you. Come sit down and relax. Can I get you anything to drink?”

Neal sat down on the couch and leaned his head tiredly against the cushion. “Maybe just some water, if it’s not too much trouble. I’m so tired from the drive. I know Peter must be even more tired since he made the trip twice.” 

“Yeah, I think I’m getting too old for road trips like that. I’m exhausted.” Peter sat down next to Neal. “It was worth it, though. We can call the marshals in the morning and have them bring over a new tracking anklet, but I think you should stay with us until the hearing to make sure no one has a chance to frame you for anything else.” 

When El handed him the glass of water he drank about half of it and then set aside. “El, I’m sorry I messed up your plans for Thanksgiving.”

“Don’t be silly. You just gave me more to be thankful for. We were worried about you, ya know. And I have a big turkey dinner all planned for tomorrow to celebrate your return. Mozzie is going to be here too.” 

“Thank you, Elizabeth. I really appreciate all you’ve done for me.”

“You’re very welcome, Neal. Now, I think we all need to get to bed.” 

*************************************  
Saturday was a busy day for Neal and El as they prepared a belated Thanksgiving dinner for their friends. El had tried to persuade Neal to rest but he insisted on helping with everything from preparation to clean-up. They were all exhausted when most of their guests departed. Most had departed, but Mozzie was still there sitting on the couch with a glass of wine. 

“Neal, Peter and I are going to go to bed. I think Mozzie has some things he wants to talk to you about.” Clearly, Elizabeth was in cahoots with Mozzie because Peter had that squinty-eyed suspicious look as El grabbed his sleeve and pulled him toward the stairs.

Neal sighed and met Mozzie’s gaze. “Ok, Moz, I know I’ve got a lecture coming.”

“I’m not the Suit. I don’t lecture you.” Mozzie gave Neal a stern look while Neal sat patiently waiting for the lecture he knew was coming. “Ok, fine, yes I’m going to lecture you. We had a plan, Neal. A brilliantly constructed plan which you ignored. What if something had gone wrong?”

“I’m sorry, Moz. You’re right. If there’s a next time I promise to stick to the plan.”

Neal’s apparently sincere apology left Mozzie in stunned silence for a moment. He had expected excuses and deflection. “Yes, well…..as long as you admit you were wrong.” 

Neal nodded. “I also admit you were right. It was a great plan, Moz. Brilliant even. The supplies you packed in the trunk were amazing. Everything I needed and more. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I appreciated the camera. You are truly a wonderful friend. Thank you for everything, Moz.”

“Oh. You’re welcome, Neal.” Mozzie was uncomfortable hearing Neal praise and thank him but it was also nice to know Neal appreciated his efforts. “Do you have pictures to show me?”

It was several hours later when a taxi arrived to pick Mozzie up. When Neal at last laid down he went to sleep feeling blessed to have such wonderful friends. 

*******************  
Sunday was spent relaxing at the Burke’s. Neal and Peter both dozed off in front of the TV after lunch and yet they still felt the need to go to bed early that evening. 

Monday morning came too fast for Neal. It would be his first day back to work after cutting his anklet and he worried how some of the agents would react to his return. Jones and Diana were happy he was back but he knew that wouldn’t be true for other agents. 

Peter watched Neal and couldn’t help thinking of a kid getting ready for school. Neal was slow getting dressed and even slower eating his breakfast. Peter’s eyes twinkled with suppressed laughter at his friend’s uncharacteristic behavior. “Come on, Neal. We don’t want to be late.”

“We don’t?”

“Well, the later we are, the more people who will be waiting to see you arrive. It’ll almost like a perp-walk. You want that?”

Neal shrugged on his coat and flipped his hat on his head. “Come on, Peter, we don’t want to be late.”

Neal’s confidence fell even more when they walked through the lobby of the Federal Building and waited for the elevator. Not that his lack of confidence was evident to anyone other than Peter. He was too good a conman to let it show. Surely Ruiz, who was waiting for the elevator, would never suspect. 

The elevator doors opened and the three men got on. Neal had wished for a more crowded ride to the twenty-first floor. He felt Ruiz staring at him. When he looked over at Ruiz and nodded he was surprised to receive a less-than-hostile look in return.

“Good morning, Agent Ruiz.” Neal nodded but didn’t waste a smile.

“Caffrey,” Ruiz said in a casual way, “do you know what I hate more than criminals?” 

Neal looked at the floor indicator. Eighth floor. This was going to be a long elevator ride. “No, what do you hate more than criminals?”

“I hate crooked lawmen. I’m glad you turned yourself in. Try to stay out of trouble this time.” 

Neal nodded again but couldn’t think of anything to say in reply. The elevator stopped and Ruiz got off without another word. Neal looked over at Peter.

“Peter?”

“Yeah, Neal?”

“Was Ruiz being nice to me?”

“That was as nice as I’ve ever seen him, Neal. For Ruiz that was almost cuddly.”

The elevator opened on the twenty-first floor and they walked through the glass doors into the White Collar Unit.

“SURPRISE!” Handshakes, hugs, donuts, and coffee. Neal smiled. It was good to be back. 

The next weeks seemed to fly by with Neal’s emotions like a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. Some days it was possible to feel hopeful for the future, but other days he felt like a dark cloud of doom was hovering just inches above his head. He went to work and kept busy going over cold cases at his desk. Some agents eyed him with suspicion because he had run. They seemed to forget the reason he ran was that he had been framed, again, by one of their own. But most of the feds seemed to be happy that he was back and were sympathetic about his reason for leaving. 

He got regular texts and phone calls from Doug, who also sent pictures of the kittens being playful and cute. They talked about everything they’d each been through in their lives and what their plans for the future were. One of the things they discussed was pizza. Neal thought Thiefton needed a place that served good pizza, while Doug’s opinion was that the town was too small to support a pizza restaurant. Neal’s idea was to open Doug’s cafe as a pizza place on Friday and Saturday nights. After that most of their conversations concerned plans to make that happen. 

The night before his hearing was suddenly upon him and as he sat down to dinner with Peter and Elizabeth his confused mix of emotions must have been showing on his face. 

Peter and Elizabeth exchanged concerned looks as they finished putting the food on the table. El had a determined look on her face as she looked at Peter and tilted her head towards Neal; silently telling Peter to talk to Neal. 

Peter cleared his throat. “So, tomorrow is the big day.” 

“Yes, it is,” was Neal’s response. 

El rolled her eyes. “Honestly! You two are hopeless sometimes. Neal, what Peter meant to say is no matter what happens tomorrow we are here for you.” Peter nodded. “Even if you have to serve the rest of your sentence we will be here for you.” Peter nodded again and received another eye roll from El. “But, I honestly think it’s going to turn out well. The lawyer is hopeful. Let’s just enjoy our dinner and you can tell us your plans. I can see you’re still planning to go back to Montana, but will you at least stay in New York for Christmas?”

“Actually, as much as I’d like to stay for Christmas I’d like even more to get home to Montana. Mozzie always leaves the city at Christmas time, and he’s thinking of coming with me for a visit. We thought we’d drive and he wants to stop in Detroit to drop off presents at the orphanage. If I get the commutation we thought we’d leave Saturday morning.”

Peter nodded again and then smiled. “I guess we need to have a going away party at work Friday. Maybe you can arrange the cake since you own a bakery.”

Neal smiled as the dark cloud seemed to lift and his roller-coaster emotions started to climb again. “Yes, I do still own the bakery, but not for long. I have a buyer and the sale should be complete by the end of the year. Anyway, I’ll arrange for the cake and some good coffee. Anything else you want me to do for this party you’re throwing for me?”

“Why don’t you let me handle the rest? Peter, is that ok with you?” Doing his bobblehead impression again, Peter nodded. “Good! I’m thinking of a White Collar open house. A buffet of snacks and sandwiches with some of Neal’s favorite hors-d'oeuvres. We can move a couple of the desks and set the table up by the windows. People from other departments can stop by when they have a break. Neal, you’ll have to make it a large cake; maybe two. Honey, will that be ok?”

Peter looked stunned. He had thought they’d just have a cake and a couple of balloons. He blinked slowly. “I might need to run that by Hughes first. I’ll give him a call after dinner.” Neal sat back and smiled. Even if tomorrow didn’t turn out as he hoped he would get through this. Whether the tunnel was short or long he could see the light shining ahead.

**********************************

The hearing had been a nerve-wracking experience. He had been asked what seemed like an endless stream of questions which he had calmly and patiently answered. After waiting outside of the hearing room while Peter and others were questioned he was finally back in the hearing room to hear the decision. 

“Mr. Caffrey, after considering all the testimony presented today it is the decision of this board to grant your commutation. We think that the support you have had from your friends and colleagues in the FBI had been a stabilizing factor in your life and we are hopeful that you will continue on the straight path. We wish you well and hope never to see you here again.”

Neal let out a sigh of relief as the exited the hearing room. Then he was being hugged and kissed and congratulated by the crowd of friends who had testified at the hearing. 

He had a crowd of friends. Neal smiled as he thought of the movie they’d watched after dinner last night. It’s a Wonderful Life had been his favorite Christmas movie since he had first watched it with his mom when he was a teenager. He’d named a few of his aliases after the main character, George Bailey. His eyes always teared up at the end. 

"Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love Clarence.

Peter grabbed him and hugged him. “You’re free, Neal. You’re free.” As Peter stepped back with tears in his eyes he pulled a key out of his pocket and held it up. Neal propped his foot up on a nearby chair and watched as Peter took of the tracking anklet. 

He had friends, memories, hopes, plans, and dreams for the future. It really is a wonderful life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had planned on writing another chapter but this seemed like a good place to end it. I hope you enjoyed the story. Thank you all for reading and thanks especially for the encouraging comments.


End file.
